University  of  California  •  Berkeley 
Jack  Fleming  Prison  Collection 


^xi**' 


TRIAL  AND   IMPRISONMENT 

OF 

JONATHAN    WALKER, 

AT    PENSACOLA,    FLORIDA, 

FOR 

AIDINa    SLAVES    TO    ESCAPE    FROM   BONDAGE. 

WITH    AN 

APPENDIX, 

CONTAINING   A    SKETCH    OF    HIS   LIFE. 


"All  ihings  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even 
)  unto  them.    For  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets." 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  AT   THE   ANTI- SLAVERY  OFFICE, 

25    Oornhill. 

1845. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1845,  by 

JONATHAN    WALKER. 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


stereotyped  by 

GEORGE   A.   CURTIS; 

NEW  ENGLAND  TYPE  AND  STEREOTYPE  FOUNDRY. 


boston; 
DOW  &  JACKSON'S  POWER  i 
14  Devonshire  Street. 


PREFACE. 

On  his  return  from  Florida,  after  his  release,  Captain 
Walker  called  on  me  with  the  manuscript  narrative  of  his 
trial  and  imprisonment.  In  common  with  very  many  of  the 
members  of  the  American  Anti-Slavery  Society,  I  had  long 
known  his  character  as  a  man  of  the  strictest  veracity  and 
the  highest  conscientiousness  ;  and  his  narrative  seemed  to 
me  to  cast  so  strong  a  light  upon  the  religious,  the  moral, 
and  the  political  condition  of  the  United  States,  from  the 
practical  workings  of  their  great  organic  law — the  constitu- 
tion— down  to  the  minutest  of  the  territorial  usages  and 
enactments  which  result  from  that  law ;  and  to  exhibit  in 
so  clear  a  view  the  contrast  between  the  principles  and 
ideas  which  at  present  govern  the  public  mind,  and  those 
which  are  beginning  to  struggle  for  the  mastery,  that  I 
could  not  but  warmly  urge  this  publication. 

There  are  those  who  doubt  whether  the  North  is  as 
guilty  as  the  South  with  respect  to  slavery ;  whether  the 
system  is  degrading  to  the  slave  and  disgraceful  to  the  mas- 
ter ;  whether  the  slave  is  cruelly  treated ;  whether  the 
system  is  injurious  to  the  reputation  of  this  country,  a 
reproach  to  its  Christianity,  and  ruinous  to  the  character  of 
its  people. 

There  are  also  those  who,  while  they  condemn  slavery, 
at  the  same  time  assert  that  its  extinction  may  be  best  pro- 
moted by  studied  silence,  and  by  a  quiet  waiting  for  the 
gradual  operations  of  a  moral  and  religious  system  which 
declares  that  it  is  not  in  its  nature  sinful,  and  justifies  it 
from  the  Scriptures  ;  and  of  a  political  and  governmental 
system  which  is  a  solemn  guaranty  in  its  favor. 

There  are  those,  too,  who  believe  the  abolitionists  to  be 


IV  PREFACE. 

instigated  by  a  bitter,  unkind,  fanatical  and  insurrectionary 
spirit ;  hostile  to  law  and  order,  sectional  in  their  views,  and 
possessed  by  one  idea. 

And  there  are  others,  who,  honoring  the  holy  cause,  and 
respecting  the  disinterestedness  of  abolitionists,  yet  justify 
themselves  in  standing  aloof  from  the  movement,  under  the 
idea  of  being  better  able  to  befriend  the  cause  by  refusing  to 
be  numbered  among  its  adherents,  and  suffering  themselves 
to  be  counted  in  the  ranks  of  the  opponents. 

It  was  for  the  sake  of  all  these  classes  that  I  most 
earnestly  urged  Captain  Walker  to  give  to  the  public,  whose 
great  majority  they  compose,  the  manuscript  wl^ich  he  had 
prepared  for  the  satisfaction  of  his  friends. 

When  they  see,  in  its  unstudied  pages,  the  good,  forgiving, 
self-denying  spirit  of  the  Christian,  the  indomitable  deter- 
mination of  the  Freeman,  and  the  severe  devotedness  of  the 
Puritan,  all  uniting  in  an  unconscious  exhibition  of  the 
uncompromising  Abolitionist,  I  cannot  but  hope  that  their 
hearts  will  be  touched  by  the  excellence  of  the  example. 

It  is  to  be  lamented  that  many  interesting  and  illustrative 
incidents  must  be  suppressed,  out  of  regard  to  the  safety  of 
individuals,  whose  liberties  and  lives  their  publication  would 
endanger  ;  yet  what  could,  better  than  such  a  fact,  illustrate 
the  condition  of  slaves  and  freemen  in  the  United  States  of 
North  America ;  or  better  plead  the  cause  of  those  few  of 
the  inhabitants  who  are  pronounced  by  the  rest  to  be  over 
zealous,  because  they  have  been  the  first  to  perceive  what  all 
will  soon  be  obliged  to  acknowledge, — that  the  liberties  of 
our  land  are  gone  ?  It  was  a  deep  observation  of  facts  that 
led  Montesquieu  to  say,  *'  A  republic  may  lose  its  liberties  in 
a  day,  and  not  find  it  out  for  a  century."  The  day  that  sunk 
ours,  was  that  of  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution — 
the  day  when  we  perpetrated,  as  a  nation,  an  eternal  wrong 
for  the  sake  of  guilty  prosperity  and  peace.  But  it  now 
begins  to  be  very  plainly  discerned,  that  between  slavery 
and  freedom  there  can  be  no  covenant.     The  futile  hope  of 


PREFACE.  V 

our  fathers,  in  attempting  such  a  one,  was  peace ;— after  the 
lapse  of  sixty  years,  their  descendants  hear  from  that  guilty 
past, 

"  Ancestral  voices,  prophesying  War  !  " 

The  narrative  of  Frederick  Douglass  gives  a  picture  of  the 
condition  of  a  slave  in  the  land  that  their  folly  and  their  fear 
betrayed.  That  of  Jonathan  Walker  shows  the  condition 
of  the  freeman  whose  lot  is  cast  in  the  same  land,  little  more 
than  half  a  century  only  after  the  perpetration  of  that 
treason  to  humanity. 

The  most  ignominious  tortures  are  now  the  lot  of  him 
who,  in  the  United  States  of  America,  determines  to  be  truly 
a  freeman,  nor  lose  his  own  liberties  with  the  sinking  ones 
of  the  republic  ;  of  him  whose  liberty  it  is  to  choose  his  part 
with  the  enslaved,  and  not  with  the  slaveholder. 

It  may  but  prove,  in  the  language  of  those  old  puritans 
M^hose  blood  yet  floods  a  Massachusetts  heart  so  strongly, 
"  a  greater  liberty  to  suffer,  a  more  freedom  to  die."  Yet 
whatever  be  the  result,  God  grant,  throughout  the  land,  a 
continual  outpouring  of  that  free,  devoted  spirit  to  us  and  to 
our  children  !  a  spirit  which,  by  the  might  of  its  good  will, 
by  the  strength  of  its  sense  of  duty,  shall  overcome  tyranny, 
prejudice  and  cruelty  ;  bigotry,  avarice  and  knavery  ;  and 
the  whole  array  of  sins  of  which  slavery  is  at  once  the  cause 
and  the  eifect. 

This  is  a  painful  tale  for  an  American  to  read,  and 
think,  meanwhile,  that  it  is  circulating  through  the  civilized 
world  ;  but,  if  worthy  of  the  name,  he  will  find  comfort  in 
the  thought  that  it  is  confirming  the  abolitionist  and  con- 
futing the  slave-holder,  showing  an  example  to  both  of  the 
dutiful  obedience  to  right,  which  is  mighty  to  save  a  nation 
from  utter  reproach  and  destruction. 

It  will  be  a  painful  tale  for  all,  to  whom  the  carefully 
concealed  features  and  inevitable  consequences  of  the  slave- 
system  have  never  before  been  exhibited.  Such  are  to  be 
1# 


n  PREFACE. 

found  at  the  South  as  well  as  at  the  North  ;  and  both  will 
do  well,  in  the  intensity  of  their  pain  and  disgust,  to  remem- 
ber the  words  of  Garrison  : 

* '  Let  us  not  sentimentally  shrink  from  such  knowledge  ; 
we  will  know  what  we  have  to  do,  that  we  may  more  surely 
do  it.  We  go  forth  to  take  off  chains  ;  and  there  is  need 
that  our  virtue  should  be  robust." 

Yery  consoling  is  the  reflection  that  this  uprising  of  the 
heart  against  wrong  is  not  a  sectional  one,  but  felt  at  the 
south  as  well  as  at  the  north,  by  men  of  all  parties  and  of 
all  sects. 

Very  exalting  is  the  idea  that  the  virtual  slaveholder  of 
the  north,  not  merely  reproaching  the  planter,  the  overseer 
and  the  driver,  has  begun  the  work  of  self-sacrificing  reform 
with  his  own  heart,  by  refusing  all  political  and  ecclesiasti- 
cal participation  in  their  deed.  The  abolition  of  slavery  is 
sure,  since  these  most  guilty  and  eflicient  slaveholders  begin 
to  make  abolitionism  not  only  an  ethical  statement,  but  a 
Christian  life. 

Maria  Weston  Chapman. 

Boston,  August,  1845. 


TRIAL  AND  IMPRISONMENT 

OF 

JONATHAN    WALKER 


CHAPTER  I. 


Having  been  arraigned  before  tbe  public  by 
providential  circumstances  of  a  somewhat  unusual 
nature,  and  having  been  the  subject  of  much  remark 
and  ridicule ;  passing  "  through  evil  report  and  good 
report,"  throughout  the  United  States,  and  having 
received  tokens  of  sympathy  from  abroad  in  conse- 
quence of  the  treatment  I  received  from  the  tribunals 
of  my  own  country  for  an  attempted  act  of  kindness 
towards  some  of  the  down-trodden  of  my  own  country- 
men ;  and  confident  that  but  a  scanty  and  imperfect 
knowledge  of  the  case  has  found  its  way  to  the  people, 
who  have  a  right  to  know  the  real  facts ;  it  appears  to 
be  a  matter  of  duty  to  them  and  the  cause  for  which  I 
have  suffered,  that  I  should  relate  the  substance  of  the 
whole  transaction  as  it  actually  occurred.  This  I 
have  endeavored  to  do  with  much  carefulness  in  avoid- 
ing all  false  coloring  or  deviation  from  the  simple 
truth. 


8  TRIAL    AND    IMPRISONMENT 

Having  never  been  favored  with  an  education,  and 
laboring  under  the  disadvantage  of  writing  hastily,  on 
my  passage  home,  as  I  found  opportunity,  the  narrative 
will  not  be  so  attractive  as  it  otherwise  might  be.  But 
such  readers  as  desire  a  simple  ungarnished  statement 
of  the  case,  will,  I  hope,  find  their  minds  led  by  it  to  a 
subject  of  the  first  consideration  to  every  American 
citizen. 

I  look  upon  the  southern  States  as  the  most  favored 
part  of  my  country,  which  nature  seems  to  have  done 
and  to  be  doing  much  more  for,  than  for  the  northern 
States.  Their  soft  and  genial  climate,  their  rich  and 
luxuriant  soil,  their  long  and  uniform  summers,  their 
short  and  mild  winters,  their  beautiful  timber  forests 
and  great  water-privileges,  all  far  exceed  those  of  New 
England,  in  my  opinion ;  and  I  am  fully  under  the 
impression  that  I  could  support  my  family  at  the 
south  for  less  than  half  the  labor  and  exertions  that  I 
can  at  the  north.  Neither  are  the  customs  of  the  peo- 
ple there  more  repugnant  to  my  feelings  than  the  cus- 
toms of  the  northern  people  generally,  with  the 
exception  of  what  belongs  to  the  system  of  slavery.  I 
have  long  since  cast  into  oblivion  all  sectional  and 
hostile  feelings  toward  my  fellow-men.  I  have  no  ill- 
will  to  the  slave-holders,  or  the  advocates  of  slavery; 
but  I  pity  them  for  their  awful  depravity  in  regarding 
as  property  those  who  are,  by  the  rule  of  right  and  the 
laws  of  God,  entitled  to  the  same  privileges  and  bene- 
fits as  themselves.  It  is  the  system  of  slavery,  that 
sheds  mildew  upon  the  fair  prospects  of  our  country 
— ^blasting  its  social,  political,  moral,  and  religious 
prosperity — which  I  do  unhesitatingly  contend  against; 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  9 

since  the  master's  true  interest  and  rights  do  not  suffer 
in  consequence  of  his  slaves  becoming  free  laborers ; 
for  they  cannot,  I  say  it  emphatically,  be  his  property, 
nor  can  his  rights  consist  in  other  people's  wrongs. 

I  have  spent  a  good  deal  of  time  in  the  southern 
States,  and  have  closely  and  carefully  observed  the 
mode  and  operation  of  the  slave  system  in  several  of 
them ;  and  have  lived  five  or  six  years  with  my  fam- 
ily in  Pensacola,  Florida  ;  being  known  by  the  people 
generally  to  be  hostile  to  the  system  of  slavery. 
Twice,  while  living  there,  I  was  called  upon  by  differ- 
ent persons, — the  chief  executive  officers  or  mayors 
for  the  time  being, — in  consequence  of  the  reports  in 
circulation  that  I  was  on  good  terms  with  the  colored 
people ;  and  it  was  intimated  that  there  was  danger  in 
regard  to  my  peace  and  safety,  for  should  the  people 
be  excited  in  consequence  of  my  discountenance  of 
some  of  their  rules  and  customs  respecting  the  asso- 
ciation of  white  with  colored  men,  it  would  be  out  of 
their  power  to  shield  me  from  violence. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Late  in  the  fall  of  1843, 1  left  my  home  in  Harwich, 
Massachusetts,  and  took  passage  on  board  of  a  vessel 
bound  for  Mobile,  where  I  spent  the  winter  and  spring 
— mostly  in  working  at  the  ship-wright  business,  which 
is  my  trade. 

I  left  Mobile  on  the  2d  June,  1844,  for  Pensacola, 


10  TRIAL   AND    IMPRISONBIENT 

in  a  boat  belonging  to  myself ;  chiefly  for  the  purpose 
of  raising  a  part  of  the  wreck  of  a  vessel  sunk  near 
the  latter  place,  for  the  sake  of  getting  the  copper  that 
was  attached  to  it.  I  arrived  on  the  4th,  made  some 
examination  and  some  inquiry  about  the  wreck,  and 
was  informed  that  it  was  claimed  by  a  citizen  of  the 
place.  Although  it  had  been  sunk  there  more  than 
thirty  years,  no  eflbrt  had  been  made  to  raise  it.  I 
called  on  the  person  who  claimed  it,  but  we  could  not 
agree  on  terms.  I  passed  up  the  bay  thirty  or  forty 
miles,  to  see  an  old  friend  or  two,  stayed  a  few  days, 
and  returned  to  Pensacola  again.  Soon  after,  I  had 
an  interview  with  three  or  four  persons  that  were  dis- 
posed to  leave  the  place.  I  gave  them  to  understand 
that  if  they  chose  to  go  to  the  Bahama  Islands  in  my 
boat,  I  would  share  the  risk  with  them.  Preparations 
were  made,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  22d,  seven  men 
came  on  board  the  boat,  and  we  left  the  place,  went  out, 
of  the  harbor,  and  followed  in  the  direction  of  the 
coast  to  the  ea,stward.  We  had  for  several  days 
strong  head  winds,  with  frequent  squalls  and  rain. 
I  had  for  two  days  been  somewhat  unwell,  hav- 
ing been  much  exposed  to  the  violence  of  the  sun, 
and  had  been  what  is  called  sun-struck,  and  W2ls 
now  exposed  to  the  sudden  changing  elements  night 
and  day  in  an  open  boat.  On  the  26th,  we  arrived  at 
St.  Andre's  harbor,  where  we  stopped  part  of  the  day, 
dried  our  clothing,  cooked  some  provisions,  recruited 
the  water-barrel,  and  I  took  an  emetic.  In  the  even- 
ing we  left,  and  the  next  day  run  up  St.  Joseph's 
Bay,  with  the  intention  of  taking  the  boat  across  into 
St.    George's    Sound,    to    avoid   going   round    Cape 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER. 


11 


St.  Blass;  but  we  found  the  distance  too  great, 
abandoned  the  idea,  and  passed  out  of  the  bay  again 
and  went  round  the  cape.  On  the  28-9th,  went 
through  St.  George's  Sound,  stopping  a  few  hours  at 
St.  George's  Island  to  cook  a  little,  and  recruit  our 
water.  We  passed  Apalacha  Bay,  following  some- 
what the  direction  of  the  coast,  and  on  the  1st  of  July 
were  in  the  vicinity  of  Cedar  Keys."^  Up  to  this 
time  my  sickness  had  still  increased,  and  I  was  so 
unwell  as  to  be  obliged  to  leave  the  management  of 
the  boat  pretty  much  entirely  to  those  that  were  with 
me,  for  by  spells  I  was  somewhat  delirious.  I 
remember  looking  at  the  red  horizon  in  the  west, 
soon  after  sun-down,  as  I  thought  for  the  last  time  in 
this  world,  not  expecting  to  behold  that  glorious  lumi- 
nary shedding  its  scorching  rays  on  me  more. 

While  using  the  remaining  faculties  which  I  pos- 
sessed, in  aid  of  the  slave's  escape  from  his  master,  the 
reader  may  be  anxious  to  know  the  state  of  my  mind 
at  that  time,  when  in  prospect  of  speedy  dissolution, 
on  the  subject  of  slavery ;  or,  more  properly,  of  my 
anti-slavery  feeling.  Among  other  things,  my  mind 
was  occupied  on  that  subject  also,  and  I  calmly  and 
deliberately  thought  it  over ;  and,  as  on  other  occa- 
sions, came  to  the  conclusion  that  slavery  was  evil 
and  only  evil,  and  that  continually;  and  that  any 
mode  or  process  of  emancipation,  short  of  blood-shed 
or  the  sacrifice  of  principle,  would  not  be  in  violation 

*  From  the  shore  of  the  west  and  south  part  of  the  peninsula  of 
Florida,  shoal  ground  extends  to  a  considerable  distance,  on  which 
are  numerous  small  islands  denominated  Keys,  each  having  its  own 
separate  name. 


19  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

of  right  or  duty,  but  the  contrary;  and  therefore 
calculated  to  secure  the  approbation  of  that  great 
*'  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  who  doeth  right,"  and  before 
whose  presence  I  soon  expected  to  appear. 

After  passing  this  night,  I  scarcely  know  how,  the 
next  morning  I  found  myself  more  comfortable,  and 
felt  some  relief.  In  a  day  or  two  after,  (for  I  was  now 
unable  to  keep  the  run  of  time,)  we  landed  on  one  of 
St.  Martin's  Keys,  and  cooked  provisions,  but  could 
get  no  water.  For  several  days  nature  and  my  disease 
seemed  to  be  about  on  a  balance,  and  it  was  doubtful 
which  would  rule  the  day;  I  took  another  emetic, 
made  free  use  of  cayenne  pepper  and  bitters,  which 
appeared  to  have  a  good  effect,  and  in  a  few  days  my 
face  was  nearly  covered  with  sores,  and  my  whole 
system,  which  had  been  so  much  oppressed  that  I 
could  with  difficulty  respire,  felt  much  relieved.  But 
my  strength  and  flesh  were  nearly  gone,  and  the  sys- 
tem so  much  reduced,  that  it  is  a  wonder  to  me  how, 
after  undergoing  so  much  privation,  exposure,  and  the 
treatment  that  followed,  I  was  enabled  to  recover  at  all. 

We  continued  down  the  coast,  landing  several 
times  in  search  of  water,  without  being  able  to  get 
any,  but  being  confident  that  we  should  find  some  at 
Cape  Florida,  where  we  intended  to  stop  before  cross- 
ing the  gulf.  But  fortunately,  or  unfortunately, 
which,  I  cannot  tell,  at  day-break  on  the  morning 
of  July  the  8th,  we  saw  two  sloops^  within  a  short 

*  The  sloops  were  wrecking  vessels  of  eighty  or  ninety  tons, 
manned  with  fifteen  or  twenty  men  each,  and  sailed  very  fast. 
They  are  employed  for  the  sake  of  saving  or  getting  what  they  can 
from  vessels  T^Tccked  on  the  coast.    They  hailed  from  Key  West. 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKEIl.  It 

distance,  standing  towards  us.  In  a  few  moments 
they  came  within  hail,  and  inquired,  "  Where  are  you 
from,  and  where  are  you  bound  ?'^  I  answered, 
"  From  St.  Joseph's,  bound  to  Cape  Florida."^  The 
captain  of  one  of  the  sloops  said,  "  I  am  going  that 
way,  and  will  give  you  a  tow ;"  at  the  same  time  he 
ran  alongside  of  the  boat  and  made  a  rope  fast  to  it, 
and  invited  us  on  board  the  sloop.  The  men  were 
going  on  board,  when  I  advised  them  to  stay  in  the 
boat.  Four  of  them  had  stepped  on  board,  but  one 
immediately  returned.  The  others  were  not  allowed 
to.  The  sloop  directly  reversed  her  course  and  run 
back  where  she  had  come  from,  and  anchored.  I 
requested  the  captain  to  allow  the  men  to  return  in  the 
boat ;  he  made  no  reply,  but  took  his  boat  and  went 
on  board  of  the  other  sloop,  which  had  followed  him 
back  to  the  anchorage.  Soon  after  he  returned  and 
requested  me  to  come  on  board  the  vessel.  I,  being 
then  exposed  to  the  violent  heat  of  the  sun,  thought  it 
prudent  to  comply,  confident  that  we  should  be 
detained  at  all  events.  While  on  board  I  was  treated 
with  civility,  and  permitted  to  pass  the  time  in  the 
cabin  or  on  deck,  as  I  chose  for  my  convenience  or 
comfort.  We  were  then  forty  or  fifty  miles  from 
Cape  Florida,  and  if  we  had  not  been  detained,  would 
have  got  there  before  night,  and  been  ready  to  cross 

*  The  reader  has  seen  that  St.  Joseph's  was  the  last  port  we 
left,  and  we  intended  to  call  at  Cape  Florida.  This  has  been  used 
to  make  it  appear  that  I  resorted  to  falsehood,  because  we  had 
started  from  Pensacola,  and  were  bound,  ultimately,  to  Nassau,  New 
Providence. 

2 


14  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

the  gulf  the  next  morning.     But  our  voyage  was  up, 
and  we  had  other  prospects  now  before  us. 

We  had  now  been  fourteen  days  on  our  passage, 
and  had  sailed  and  rowed  more  than  seven  hundred 
miles ;  but  for  the  last  eight  or  ten  days  the  weather 
had  proved  more  uniform  and  mild,  and  the  winds 
favorable  but  light.  Had  I  been  well,  it  is  probable 
we  should  not  have  been  more  than  ten  or  twelve  days 
to  this  place,  and  saved  much  distance  by  running 
more  direct  courses.  If  we  had  been  one  hour  sooner 
or  later  in  passing  this  place,  we  should  not  have 
come  in  contact  wath  those  vessels.  Since  leaving  St. 
Martin's  Keys,  whenever  we  landed,  we  were  harassed 
with  swarms  of  mosquitoes,  each  anxious  to  have  his 
bill  entered  without  examination  or  delay.  The  sloop 
lay  at  anchor  until  night,  then  got  under  way  and  run 
for  Key  West,  with  the  boat  in  tow,  where  she  arrived 
the  next  day  afternoon. 


CHAPTER  III. 

I  WAS  now  taken  before  a  magistrate,  borne  by  two 
men,  not  being  able  to  walk  alone.  There  I  was  re- 
quired to  give  bail  in  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars 
for  my  appearance  at  the  next  November  court ;  but 
being  unable  to  do  so,  I  was  committed  to  jail,  or  rather 
to  the  house  in  which  the  constable  lived.  I  was  placed 
in  a  small  room  on  the  second  floor,  with  three  other 
prisoners,  but  slept  in  the  room  with  the  constable  and 
family ;  the  prisoners  eat  at  the  same  table  the  family 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  1^ 

did,  after  they  had  eaten.  I  was  handcuffed  one 
night,  but  was  permitted  to  use  my  hands  the  rest  of 
the  time  while  there,  in  fighting  mosquitoes,  which 
were  very  annoying  at  all  times. 

Most  of  my  things  which  I  had  in  the  boat  were 
brought  from  the  vessel  by  the  sheriff,  and  placed  in 
charge  of  the  constable,  with  the  exception  of  a  trunk 
and  bundle  of  clothing  which  I  was  allowed  to  retain 
for  my  own  use.  I  begged  to  be  allowed  to  retain  a 
small  trunk  of  botanic  medicine  which  I  had,  but  was 
refused.  After  remaining  at  this  place  three  days,  it 
was  said  there  was  much  excitement  in  the  village, 
and  I  was  escorted  by  the  constable,  sheriff,  esquire, 
and  district  attorney,  to  the  soldiers'  barracks,  and  con- 
fined in  a  room  with  another  prisoner,  where  I  stayed 
but  one  night,  and  the  next  day  was  put  on  board  the 
steamboat  General  Taylor,  in  the  United  States'  em- 
ploy, to  be  taken  to  Pensacola.  I  requested  that  my 
effects,  which  were  in  charge  of  the  constable,  might 
be  taken  with  me,  but  it  was  not  complied  with ;  and 
I  have  not  been  able  to  learn  anything  from  them 
since,  except  that  they  were  sold.  I  subsequently 
wrote  twice  to  the  sheriff,  but  received  no  answer. 
They  were  of  no  great  value,  but  to  one  in  my  cir- 
cumstances, it  was  a  good  deal.  I  had  an  excellent 
spy-glass,  for  which  I  paid  twenty  dollars,  and  a  chest 
of  carpenter's  tools,  and  several  other  articles,  besides 
some  things  that  the  sheriff  said  he  could  not  find  on 
board  of  the  sloop.  My  boat  and  the  seven  men  were 
put  on  board  of  another  sloop,  (named  the  Reform,) 
and  sent  to  Pensacola  previous  to  my  leaving  Key 
West. 


ySf  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

I  was  placed  down  the  hold  of  the  steamboat,  on 
the  ceiling,  where  it  was  very  filthy,  and  put  in 
double  irons,  (both  hands  and  feet,)  where  I  was 
kept  for  six  days,  with  the  exception  of  being  per- 
mitted to  come  on  deck  a  few  hours  in  a  day,  and 
sit  or  lie  upon  the  hatches.  The  food  given  me  was 
salt  beef,  pork,  and  navy-bread,  with  a  slight  exception. 
We  left  Key  West  on  the  13th,  went  to  Tampa  Bay, 
took  in  some  wood,  and  on  the  night  of  the  18th 
arrived  at  Pensacola  navy-yard.  The  next  day  I  was 
conducted  to  Pensacola  by  the  deputy-marshal  in  a 
small  boat,  and  in  a  rain  storm,  (distance  eight  miles.) 
On  landing  at  the  wharf,  there  was  a  large  collection 
of  people,  who  appeared  to  be  very  talkative,  and  some 
were  noisy;  but  no  violence  was  attempted.  By 
summoning  all  the  strength  I  could  muster,  I  suc- 
ceeded in  walking  to  the  court-house.  The  court 
was  already  convened,  whether  solely  on  my  ac- 
count or  not,  I  do  not  know.  My  trunk  and  bundle 
were  searched,  but  nothing  taken  therefrom.  I  was 
required  to  give  bail  in  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars, or  be  committed  to  prison  to  await  my  trial  when- 
ever it  should  take  place  :  with  me  there  was  no 
alternative  but  to  comply  with  the  latter.  I  attempted 
to  v/alk  to  the  jail  in  company  with  the  marshal  and 
constable,  but  gave  out  by  the  way,  and  was  carried 
there  in  a  cart,  placed  in  a  room  by  myself,  and 
secured  to  a  ring-bolt  by  a  large  size  log-chain,  and  a 
shackle  of  round  iron,  weighing  about  five  pounds, 
round  the  ankle.  The  marshal  searched  my  person, 
found  on  me  about  fifteen  dollars  in  money,  which 
he  took,  but  afterwards  gave  me  again.     The  floor 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  17 

was  my  bed,  seat,  and  table;  and  it  was  nearly  a 
month  before  I  could  procure  anything  to  lie  upon, 
other  than  a  few  clothes  which  I  had  with  me.  But 
I  finally  succeeded  in  getting  a  chair,  small  table,  and 
some  straw,  of  which  I  made  a  pallet  on  the  floor,  and 
it  served  for  my  bed  during  my  imprisonment. 

Although  the  rage  of  my  disease  had  much  abated, 
I  was  still  kept  low,  and  suffered  from  alternate  chills 
and  fever,  attended  with  much  pain  in  the  head  and 
distress  at  the  stomach;  but  I  gradually  gained 
strength,  and  by  eating  a  large  quantity  of  red-peppers 
got  rid  of  the  chilis,  and  in  about  three  months  was 
nearly  restored  to  health  again. 

In  three  or  four  days  after  I  had  arrived  in  Pensa- 
cola,  the  sloop  Reform  arrived  with  the  other  men  and 
my  boat.  Soon  after,  Robert  C.  Caldwell  called  to 
see  me,  and  appeared  very  friendly,  saying  that  he  did 
not  intend  to  punish  his  servants  for  going  away  with 
me ;  and  intimated  that  the  custom-house  and  the 
wreckers  both  had  claims  on  the  boat,  and  it  was  very 
doubtful  whether  I  should  be  able  to  realize  anything 
for  her ;  and  as  he  had  lost  a  good  deal  by  his  ser- 
vants' going  away  with  me,  if  I  would  consent  for  him 
to  have  the  boat,  he  would  try  to  compromise  with  the 
claimants,  and  might  get  something  for  it.  Placing 
some  confidence  in  what  he  said,  and  thinking  that  a 
refusal  might  excite  a  spirit  of  revenge,  and  that  if 
disposed,  he  could  make  my  situation  more  desperate 
than  it  was  already,  and  being  of  the  opinion  that  I 
should  not  be  able  to  realize  anything  from  it  if  I 
refused  him,  I  consented  for  him  to  get  what  he  could 
from  it ;  and  so  put  an  end  to  what  I  had  there  in  the 
2=^  2 


18  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

shape  of  property.  I  should  be  no  further  harassed 
on  that  point. 

The  jail  is  a  brick  building  of  two  stories,  about 
eighteen  by  thirty-six  feet,  having  upon  each  floor  two 
rooms,  the  lower  part  for  the  occupation  of  the  prison- 
ers, and  the  upper  part  for  the  jailer *s  family.  The 
rooms  for  the  prisoners  are  fifteen  to  sixteen  feet 
square,  with  double  doors,  and  two  small  grated  win- 
dows from  six  to  eight  feet  from  the  lower  floor.  Over- 
head is  a  single  board  floor,  which  but  little  obstructs 
the  noise  of  the  upper  part  from  being  distinctly  heard 
below,  and  vice  versa. 

About  twenty  feet  from  the  jail,  and  fronting  the 
3vindows,  was  a  wooden  building  denominated  the 
kitchen.  Its  door  having  previously  taken  refuge  in 
the  fire,  and  the  wooden  windows  shutting  only  as 
the  wind  blew  them  to,  I  had  a  pretty  fair  view  of 
what  was  transacted  there  from  the  only  window 
which  I  could  look  out  of,  and  from  which  I  was  often 
compelled  to  turn  away,  for  the  scene  was  too  disgust- 
ing to  look  upon.  There  was  scolding  and  cow- 
hiding  dealt  out  without  measure,  and  the  filthiness 
far  exceeded  anything  I  ever  saw  before  connected 
with  cooking.  The  place  was  a  common  resort  for  all 
the  lank  and  starving  domestics  about  the  premises, 
seeking  to  pacify  their  hungry  rage  where  the  cook 
performed ;  and  one  might  truly  say  that 

The  cook  and  the  hens  for  the  kitchen  went  snacks,' 
With  two  horses,  three  dogs,  and  five  cats  ; 

for  there  the  cook,  the  poultry,  and  the  horse  might  be 
seen  helping  themselves  from  the  same  meal  barrel,  and 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  £ft 

the  dogs  cleaning  the  cooking  utensils,  and  some- 
times taking  a  favorite  bit  from  the  market-basket, 
before  its  contents  had  been  otherwise  disposed  of. 
The  board  on  which  the  food  was  prepared  for  cook- 
ing, was  common  to  the  tread  of  the  cats  and  the 
poultry.  The  cook  was  a  slave  woman,  and  had  a 
small  straight-haired  child,  whose  lungs  were  the 
strongest  of  any  human  being  I  ever  saw  of  its  size, 
and  it  made  the  freest  use  of  them.  For  hours 
and  hours  of  each  day,  for  months,  my  ears  rang  with 
its  tormenting  screams,  for  it  could  not  be  called  cry- 
ing. And  to  make  the  matter  still  worse,  there  were 
three  more  small  children  of  the  family,  all,  alas ! 
having  the  same  habits ;  and  no  reasonable  means  or 
effort  appeared  to  be  put  forth  to  reduce  their  noise. 
The  young  band  were  allowed  to  continue  or  to  cease 
their  music  at  their  pleasure. 

For  many  years  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  being 
much  among  children,  and  am  passionately  fond  of 
them,  and  delight  to  mingle  in  their  company  and 
sports ;  and  I  well  know  that  children  will  cry,  and  to 
stop  them  entirely,  could  only  be  done  by  stopping  their 
breath.  But  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  crying 
naturally  and  occasionally,  and  screaming  at  the  top  of 
one's  voice  with  rage  and  passion,  trying  at  each 
breath  to  exceed  the  previous  note,  for  hours  together. 
I  do  not  wish  to  exaggerate,  but,  to  speak  within 
bounds,  I  honestly  think  that  for  the  first  three  months 
I  was  there,  crying  would  occupy  six  hours  per  day ; 
and  frequently  two  or  three  would  be  under  way  at  a 
time. 

The  reader  may  imagine  me  worn  down  by  expo- 


20  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

sure  and  disease  almost  to  a  skeleton ;  and  that  deli- 
cate organ,  the  brain,  which  is  the  seat  of  the  nerves, 
having  been  powerfully  affected  by  violent  action  upon 
it,  was  now  rendered  much  more  susceptible  to  the 
least  impression.  My  stomach,  from  weakness  and 
loss  of  digestive  powers,  rejected  and  loathed  most  of 
the  common  food  of  life;  and,  while  the  system  w^as 
harassed  wath  violent  chills  and  fever,  I  was  chained 
to  the  sleepers  of  a  solitary  cell,  rolling  from  side  to 
side,  and  shifting  from  one  position  to  another  on  the 
floor  to  relieve  my  aching  bones,  which  w^ere  covered 
with  little  more  than  the  skin  wrapped  over  them. 
Let  the  reader  imagine  him  or  herself  in  this  situation, 
and  it  wdll  be  clearly  seen  that  these,  with  other  things 
of  a  kindred  nature,  must  have  had  a  very  sensible  effect 
to  aggravate  the  misery  and  sufferings  of  imprisonment. 

One  of  my  first  objects  after  I  was  incarcerated, 
was  to  procure  such  nourishment  as  would  not  quarrel 
with  nature,  and  this  I  found  rather  difficult  at  first ; 
a  part  of  the  jail  feed  I  could  not  relish,1ind  if  I 
attempted  to  eat  it,  it  would  sicken  and  distress  me. 
The  bread,  a  dish  of  soup  once  a  day,  and  sometimes 
a  little  fish,  w^as  all  that  I  could  eat  of  my  rations, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  get  any  one  to  bring  me  any- 
thing for  two  or  three  weeks.  But  I  finally  succeeded 
in  getting  a  Dane,  who  kept  a  grocery,  to  let  his  boy 
bring  me  such  things  as  I  needed,  and  by  this  means 
I  obtained  much  relief  and  accommodation  throughout 
my  confinement;  and  both  the  father  and  his  little 
son,  who  was  very  attentive  to  my  wants,  are  entitled 
to  my  grateful  and  warmest  thanks. 

For  several  months  my  feet  and  legs  were  much 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  2^tt 

swelled,  and  the  first  irons  I  had  on  were  partly  buried 
in  the  flesh,  but  after  some  weeks'  entreaty  they  were 
taken  off  and  replaced  by  others  larger.  On  the  4th 
September  I  was  moved  to  the  adjoining  room ;  and 
here  were  two  objects  which  attracted  my  attention. 
On  one  side  of  the  room,  much  of  the  floor  was  stained 
with  the  blood  of  a  slave,  who  had  three  days  before 
committed  suicide  by  cutting  open  his  belly  and  throat 
with  a  razor ;  he  had  been  committed  that  morning, 
charged  with  stealing,  but  it  was  subsequently  ascer- 
tained that  the  article  which  he  was  accused  of  steal- 
ing had  only  been  removed  by  some  other  person  to 
another  place,  and  nothing  had  the  appearance  of  dis- 
honesty in  the  case.  But  life  had  gone,  and  neither 
innocence  nor  skill  could  restore  it.  I  have  no  doubt 
but  his  miserable  condition  as  a  slave  to  a  severe  mas- 
ter, and  the  expectation  of  undergoing  severe  punish- 
ment for  the  alleged  offence,  was  the  cause  of  his  put- 
ting an  end  to  his  degraded  existence.  This  was  one 
of  the  seven  slaves  whom  I  had  vainly  endeavored  to 
save  from  bondage,  and  on  whose  account  I  was  now 
imprisoned. 

The  other  object  was  the  chain  to  which  I  was 
attached,  it  being  the  same  which  I  had  noticed  fas- 
tened to  the  leg  of  Isaac,  a  slave  man  under  sentence 
of  death,  nearly  three  years  previous.  The  day 
before  he  was  to  be  executed,  I  called  to  see  him.  He 
had  undergone  three  trials,  charged  with  committing 
a  rape  upon  a  woman  of  doubtful  character.  The 
two  first  juries  did  not  agree,  but  the  third  rendered  a 
verdict  of  guilty,  and  consequently  he  was  sentenced 
to  be  hung  the  day  following  my  visit.     He  still  per- 


ZSS'  TRIAL    AND    LTPRISONMENT 

sisted  in  his  innocence,  forgiving  his  accusers,  and 
appeared  much  resigned  to  his  expected  fate.  His 
mind  appeared  calm,  and  he  manifested  confidence  in 
the  mercy  of  God  through  his  Son.  A  petition,  nu- 
merously signed,  had  been  forwarded  to  the  governor 
of  the  territory,  but  as  yet  no  intelligence  had  arrived. 
I  had  conversed  with  the  prisoner  a  few  moments, 
and  we  had  knelt  together  in  supplication,  in  His 
name  who  is  able  to  take  away  the  sting  of  death  and 
smooth  its  rough  passage,  by  his  own  blood,  rendering 
it  safe  to  all  who  truly  and  faithfully  trust  in  Him  for 
divine  aid.  We  had  scarcely  risen,  when  the  mar- 
shal entered,  and  read  a  letter  from  the  governor  con- 
taining the  full  pardon  of  the  condemned  man,  and 
ordered  his  irons  to  be  taken  off,  and  delivered  him  up 
to  his  master ;  and  I  saw  him  no  more.  But  while  I 
am  writing  this,  I  can  see  and  feel  the  same  chain 
attached  to  my  leg.  But  few,  if  any,  believed  Isaac  to 
be  guilty  of  the  charge  against  him,  but  that  the  pros- 
ecution was  raised,  on  pecuniary  considerations,  out  of 
revenge  towards  his  master.  And  what  is  my  crime  ? 
what  have  I  done  ?  I  have  attempted  to  assist  a  few 
of  my  fellow-beings  to  escape  from  bondage,  to  which 
they  were  subjected  for  no  cause  over  which  they  or 
their  ancestors  had  any  control ;  but  because  they 
were  of  the  weaker  party,  and  had  not  the  power  to 
assert  their  rights  among  men. 

From  about  the  year  1822,  I  began  to  go  amongst 
slavery,  and  from  that  time,  on  all  occasions  which 
presented,  I  tried  to  inform  myself  of  its  mode  of 
operation,  and  have,  in  several  of  the  slave  states, 
scrutinized  it  in  the  parlor  and  in  the  kitchen,  in  the 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  23 

cottage  and  in  the  field,  in  the  city  and  in  the  country  ; 
and  have  long  since  made  up  my  mind  that  it  ranked 
with  the  highest  wrongs  and  crimes  that  ever  were 
invented  by  the  enemy  of  man,  and  ingeniously  con- 
trived to  destroy  the  social  and  kind  feelings  existing 
between  man  and  man,  and  the  virtue  and  morals  of 
both  the  master  and  the  slave ;  subjecting  one  to  the 
deepest  degradation  and  misery,  and  the  other  to  dis- 
sipation, and  contempt  of  the  laws  and  government  of 
God.  It  is  a  family,  community,  political,  and  na- 
tional poison ; — obstructing  the  circulation  of  friendly 
and  Christian  sympathy,  and  giving  vent  to  the  worst 
passions  and  most  debasing  and  corroding  feelings 
that  human  nature  can  experience. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

In  addition  to  what  has  been  already  said  respecting 
the  jail,  and  what  was  transacted  there,  I  will  make  a 
short  abstract  from  a  journal  I  kept  while  there,  and 
in  so  doing,  shall  have  to  be  somewhat  personal — 
which  I  should  be  glad  to  avoid  if  I  could  do  justice  to 
the  subject ;  but  shall  be  careful  to  avoid  everything 
which  is  not  strictly  true,  and  void  of  false  coloring ; 
and  if  some  individuals  find  their  names  here  brought 
in  juxtaposition  with  some  improper  transactions,  they 
will  have  no  occasion  to  charge  me  with  falsehood  or 
malignity.  I  had  scarcely  been  secured  in  my  cage 
like  some  rabid,  dangerous  animal,  before  I  found  I 


iiM 


TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 


had  to  encounter  a  species  of  torment  which  I  had  not 
counted  on,  in  the  terrible  amount  of  noise  from  the 
domestics  about  the  premises ;  for  I  was  continually 
afflicted  with  a  severe  headache,  and  now  it  was 
brought  in  contact  with  circumstances  directly  calcu- 
lated to  increase  it. 

The  family  consisted  of  F.  T.  the  jailer — L.  T.  his 
wife,  and  six  children ;  a  mulatto  woman  and  her 
child,  five  or  six  months  old.  Of  course  the  work 
about  the  yard  and  kitchen  devolved  on  the  slave 
woman,  who,  by  the  bye,  was  not  without  her  faults. 
She  had  been  brought  up  in  the  family  under  the 
lash,  as  the  only  stimulant,  which,  as  a  natural  conse- 
quence, had  instilled  the  most  bitter  hatred  and  care- 
lessness, with  other  kindred  qualifications. 

July  19.  When  I  was  committed,  there  was  one 
slave  man  in  the  adjoining  room,  for  what  I  know  not. 

22.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook.^ 

2^^       ((       «  il  u  u 

25.  I  wrote  to  Benj.  D.  Wright,  counsellor  at  law, 
requesting  an  interview.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook 
twice. 

2S.  Four  of  the  slaves  who  had  left  with  me  were 
hrought  here  and  put  in  the  adjoining  room.  L.  T. 
whipped  the  cook. 

29.  My  health  a  little  improved ;  could  sit  up  half 
the  day.     Wrote  to  my  wife. 

Aug.  1.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

4.  L.  T.  "         "      " 

*  Whenever  the  cook  was  whipped,  it  was  done,  with  a  few 
exceptions,  with  a  raw-hide  switch,  about  three  feet  in  length,  gen- 
erally from  twenty  to  fifty  strokes  at  a  time. 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  ^ 

5.  The  four  fugitive  slaves  in  the  adjoining  room 
whipped  fifty  blows  each,  with  a  paddle. 

8.  Were  taken  out ;  with  much  difficulty  could 
walk,  being  very  sore.  Cook  whipped  twice,  once  by 
L.  T.  and  once  by  F.  T. 

12.  A  fugitive  slave  man  caught  and  committed. 
L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

14.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

17.   "    «        «  "      "     four  times.     Mistress 

dreadfully  cross. 

19.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

21.  "   «        "  "       "     twice. 

22.  The  slave  man  committed  on  the  12th,  taken 
out  and  sent  to  Alabama. 

28.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook;  children  got  some 
too ;  lots  of  scolding  dealt  out,  in  both  English  and 
French.  Slave  woman  committed  ;  had  been  brought 
from  New  Orleans  by  mistake  on  board  steamboat. 

30.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook.  L.  T.  confined; 
brought  forth  a  fine  boy. 

31.  The  slave  woman,  put  in  the  2Sth,  was  taken 
out  and  sent  back. 

Sept.  1.  A  slave  man  was  committed  on  suspicion 
of  larceny ;  he  committed  suicide  same  day  by  cutting 
his  throat  and  belly  open,  and  lived  but  two  or  three 
hours  after. 

2.  I  received  a  letter  from  my  wife,  parent  and 
children,  and  another  from  J.  P.  Nickerson,  of  Har» 
wich;  also  one  from  S.  Underwood  and  E.  Nicker- 
son, Jr. 

3.  Received  $25  cash,  from  an  old  shipmate,  by 
remittance  from  New  York. 

3 


2i-  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

4.  I  was  shifted  to  the  adjoining  room;  received  a 
letter  from  B.  D.  Wright,  counsellor  at  law,  in  answer 
to  a  note  I  sent  him  the  25th  July. 

6.  Wrote  to  my  wife,  S.  Underwood,  and  E.  Nick- 
arson,  Jr.  A  white  man  committed;  had  difficulty 
with  his  wife. 

9.  Let  out  again.  We  have  had  quite  still  times 
since  the  30th  of  August,  but  scolding  revives  again. 

11.  A  slave  man  brought  to  jail — whipped  twenty 
blows  with  a  paddle,  and  sent  back. 

If  the  reader  is  not  acquainted  with  paddle-whip- 
ping, he  may  form  some  idea  of  it  from  the  following 
description. 

The  paddles  which  I  have  seen,  are  about  twenty 
inches  in  length,  made  of  pitch-pine  board,  from  an 
inch  to  an  inch  and  a  quarter  thick,  and  seven  or 
eight  inches  of  one  end  is  three  and  a  half  or  four 
inches  wide,  having  from  ten  to  fifteen  holes  through 
it  the  size  of  a  large  nail  gimblet,  and  the  other  part  is 
made  round  for  the  handle.  The  unfortunate  subjects 
who  are  to  feel  the  effects  of  this  inhuman  drubbing, 
are  first  tied,  his  or  her  wrists  together,  then  made  to 
sit  down  on  the  floor  or  ground,  and  put  the  knees 
through  between  the  arms,  then  a  stick  or  broom-han- 
dle is  inserted  through  the  angle  of  the  legs,  directly 
under  the  knees  and  over  the  arms,  which  confines 
them  in  a  doubled  and  helpless  condition.  Previous 
to  this  arrangement,  the  victims  are  made  naked  from 
the  waist  down.  The  operator  now  takes  hold  with 
one  hand  of  one  end  of  the  stick  which  has  been 
inserted  to  confine  the  legs  and  arms  together,  and 
cants  them  on  one  side,  and  in  the  other  hand  holds 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  29 

the  before  mentioned  paddle,  which  he  applies  to  the 
backside  of  his  helpless  fellow-creature ;  stopping  at 
short  intervals  to  allow  the  sufferer  to  answer  such 
questions  as  are  asked,  or  make  such  promises  as  it  is 
thought  best  to  extort ;  and  to  give  the  numbness 
which  has  been  excited  by  repeated  blows,  time  to 
subside,  which  renders  the  next  blows  more  acute  and 
painful.  After  a  requisite  number  of  blows  with  the 
paddle  are  given,  which  is  generally  from  ten  to  fifty, 
as  the  master  or  mistress  may  dictate,  the  raw-hide 
switch  is  next  applied  to  the  bruised  and  blistered 
parts,  with  as  many  or  more  blows  laid  on ;  after 
which  the  sufferer  is  loosed  and  suffered  to  get  over  it 
the  best  way  they  can.  Not  only  men  but  women  are 
subject  to  the  same  mode  of  punishment.  There  is 
no  precise  rule  to  be  observed  in  regard  to  punish- 
ment, but  the  masters  or  mistresses  are  the  sole  judges 
as  to  method  and  quantity;  and  whenever  the  paddle 
is  brought  in  requisition,  it  means  that  the  raw-hide 
(more  commonly  called  cow-hide)  is  not  equal  to  the 
offence. 

The  reader  will  pardon  me  for  this  digression,  while 
I  return  to  the  memorandum  again. 

Sept.  12.  A  U.  S.  seaman  committed  for  not  being 
down  to  the  boat  in  time  to  go  on  board. 

13.  He  was  taken  out  and  sent  on  board  steamer 
Union.  Cook  whipped  severely  by  L.  T.'s  brother, 
at  her  request. 

15.  A  white  man  from  the  navy-yard  committed ; 
he  had  come  to  the  city  without  permission. 

16.  He  was  taken  out  and  sent  back.  Keceived  a 
letter  from  J.  P.  Nickerson,  Esq.,  of  Harwich. 

3^ 


30  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

17.  I  wrote  to  the  same. 

18.  A  white  man  committed  for  being  noisy  in  the 
streets. 

20.  He  was  let  out  again,  and  another  committed 
for  being  too  drunk  to  take  care  of  himself. 

23.  I  wrote  to  the  sheriff  at  Key  West. 

24.  L.  T.  whipped  cook. 

25.  A  large  fire  in  the  city.  A  number  of  houses 
burnt.  A  white  man  committed  on  suspicion  of  setting 
the  fire.  He  was  examined  and  discharged.  Another 
white  man  committed,  charged  with  larceny. 

26.  He  was  examined  and  discharged.  A  slave 
man  committed,  charged  with  attempting  to  steal  fruit. 
He  was  whipped  four  blows  with  a  paddle,  and  twenty- 
four  with  the  cow-hide,  and  let  out.  A  white  man 
committed,  charged  with  larceny. 

27.  The  white  man  committed  on  the  20th,  dis- 
charged.    Tremendous  scolding  about  this  time. 

29.  Slave  man  committed;  did  not  stay  at  home 
enough  on  the  Sabbath  to  do  chores ;  next  morning 
let  out.  The  noisy  white  man,  mentioned  the  18th, 
committed  again  for  like  offence. 

Oct.  1.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook ;  children  cry  by 
wholesale. 

2.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook.  A  slave  man  com- 
mitted for  debt. 

3.  Two  sailors  from  brig  Wetomka  committed ; 
they  were  intoxicated,  and  quarrelled.  Three  sailors 
committed,  who  had  taken  French  leave  from  U.  S. 
steamer  Union.  The  whole  number  now  confined  in 
the  adjoining  room  is  seven. 

4.  The  slave  man,  put  in  on  the  29th,  discharged. 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  31 

A  sailor  belonging  to   U.  S.  vessel  Vandalia,  com- 
mitted, and  taken  out  the  same  day. 

7.  Three  men,  attached  to  the  U.  S.  steamer,  taken 
out  and  sent  on  board. 

8.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook  severely,  with  both  ends 
of  the  cow-hide. 

9.  A  white  man  committed  on  suspicion  of  partici- 
pating in  murder.  Three  seamen  from  the  U.  S. 
steamer  General  Taylor,  committed  for  having  some 
difficulty  with  the  clerk  on  shore. 

10.  Two  of  them  taken  out  and  sent  on  board. 
The  two  seamen  from  brig  Wetomka,  committed  on 
the  3d,  were  let  out. 

11.  The  white  man  committed  the  9th,  on  suspi- 
cion, discharged. 

14.  The  other  man,  (the  boatswain,)  belonging  to 
the  U.  S.  steamer  General  Taylor,  let  out.  He  went 
on  board,  and  made  me  a  present  of  a  pair  of  blankets. 
One  white  man  in  the  adjoining  room  and  myself  are 
the  only  remaining  prisoners. 

15.  L.  T.'s  mother  whipped  the  cook. 

17.  A  sailor,  a  deserter  from  the  U.  S.  service, 
caught  and  committed. 

19.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

20.  The  other  prisoner  discharged. 

25.  Rather  squally  overhead  and  about  the  kitchen. 
L.  T.  whipped  the  cook  twice,  and  another  servant 
once ;  the  children  get  some,  scolding  dealt  out  unspar- 
ingly- 

27.  A  white  man  committed  for  fighting. 

28.  Discharged.  At  night  the  prisoner  in  the 
adjoining  room  broke  out  and  went  off. 


32  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

Nov.  3.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook  severely  with  a 
broomstick ;  scolds  tremendously ;  gives  unlimited 
scope  to  passion,  and  tapers  off  by  crying  herself. 

5.  White  man  committed  for  quarrelling  with  his 
wife. 

7.  Received  a  letter  from  A.  B.  Merrill,  of  Boston, 
counsellor  at  law.     L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

9.  A  slave  man  committed  for  leaving  wood  at  the 
wrong  place. 

10.  The  white  man,  committed  on  the  5th,  dis- 
charged. Received  a  visit  from  the  district  attorney. 
Walker  Anderson. 

11.  The  slave  man,  committed  on  the  7th,  dis- 
charged, and  a  free  colored  woman  put  in  for  allowing 
the  slave  man  to  put  wood  in  her  yard.  I  was  taken 
to  court  for  trial ;  had  it  put  off  till  the  14th ;  re- 
manded again. 

12.  The  colored  woman,  committed  yesterday,  dis- 
charged, and  another  committed  for  attempting  to 
defend  herself  when  about  to  be  flogged  by  a  naval 
ofiicer,  but  discharged  same  day. 

14.  I  was  again  conducted  to  court;  tried;  jury 
rendered  a  verdict  of  guilty  on  four  indictments,  viz., 
aiding  and  inducing  two  slaves  to  run  away,  and  steal- 
ing two  others. 

15.  F.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

16.  I  was  again  taken  to  court,  sentenced,  placed  in 
the  pillory  one  hour,  pelted  with  rotten  eggs,  branded 
in  the  right  hand,  and  remanded  to  prison  again  ;  the 
sheriff  called  soon  after  and  served  three  writs  upon  me 
for  trespass  and  damage,  to  the  amount  of  $106,000 ;  I 
was  not  put  in  irons  as  before.     Received  a  visit  and 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  33 

some  money  from  a  naval  officer,  who  had  witnessed 
the  acts  of  attempted  degradation  which  I  had  under- 
gone, and  expressed  his  sympathy  in  my  behalf. 

19.  Slave  man  committed  for  being  out  too  late. 

20.  Was  flogged  twenty-four  blows  with  paddle 
and  discharged.  Received  a  letter  from  A.  Chase ; 
also  one  from  J.  P.  Nicholson,  Esq.  of  South  Harwich. 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  following  are  the  particulars  of  my  trial. 
On  the  11th  Nov.,  between  10  and  11,  A.  M.,  I 
was  taken  from  prison,  conducted  to  the  court-house, 
and  placed  in  the  prisoner's  box,  and  was  asked  by  the 
judge  if  I  had  counsel.  I  replied  that  I  had  not,  and 
that  my  means  were  too  limited  to  provide  counsel ; 
but  that  I  was  daily  expecting  advice  from  friends  in 
regard  to  that  point ;  and  I  requested  that  my  trial 
might  be  put  off  a  few  days.  The  judge  informed 
me  that  if  I  was  not  able  to  provide  counsel  for  my- 
self, he  would  furnish  me  with  counsel,  and  that 
I  could  have  any  one  from  the  bar  that  I  chose,  to 
defend  me,  (there  being  three,  besides  the  prosecuting 
attorney.)  I  said,  that  I  would  be  glad  to  have  my 
trial  deferred  a  few  days  ;  and  that  if  I  was  not  then 
provided  with  counsel,  I  would  avail  myself  of  his 
honor's  proffer.  So  the  trial  was  postponed  until  the 
14th,  and  I  was  again  placed  in  jail.  Soon  after  10, 
A.  M.,  on  the  14th,  I  was  again  conducted  to  court, 
and,  not  having  any  more  information  from  my  friends, 
chose  Benjamin  D.  Wright,  a  member  of  the  bar,  to 
defend  me.  3 


2^  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

The  district  attorney,  who  was  the  prosecuting 
officer,  presented  four  indictments  against  me,  which 
were  as  follows — omitting  the  forms  of  the  three  last, 
being  the  same,  and  beginning  at  1844  : 

[1st.] 
In  the  Superior  Court  of  Escambia  County-,  in  the 

District  of  West  Florida,  November  Term,  1844. 
Territory  of  Florida, 

Escambia  Coimty,  to  wit : 
The  Grand  Jurors  of  and  for  the  Territory  of  Flor- 
ida, summoned  and  sworn  to  inquire  in  and  for  the 
body  of  the  County  of  Escambia,  upon  their  oaths  pre- 
sent that  Jonathan  Walker,  late  of  the  County  of 
Escambia,  laborer,  on  the  first  day  of  July,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  eighteen  hundred  and  forty-four, 
with  force  and  arms,  in  the  county  aforesaid,  one 
negro  man  slave,  named  Silas  Scott,  of  the  value  of 
six  hundred  dollars,  of  the  goods  and  chattels  of  one 
Robert  C.  Caldwell,  then  and  there  being  found,  felo- 
niously and  unlawfully  did  aid  and  assist  to  run  away, 
thereby  wilfully  causing  a  loss  of  labor  of  the  said 
slave  to  the  said  Robert  C.  Caldwell,  against  the  dig- 
nity of  the  Territory  of  Florida,  and  against  the  form 
of  the  statute  in  such  case  made  and  provided. 

Walker  Anderson, 
Z7.  S.  Attorney  for  West  Florida,  and  Prose- 
cuting Officer  for  the  Territory  of  Florida. 

[2nd.] 

In  the  county  aforesaid,  one  negro  man  slave, 

known  by  the  name  of  Anthony  Catlett,  of  the  value 
of  six  hundred  dollars,  of  the  goods  and  chattels  of  one 
Byrd  C.  Willis,  then  and  there  being  found,  feloni- 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  35 

ously,  unlawfully,  and  with  force  and  arms,  did  steal, 
take,  and  carry  away,  against  the  peace  and  dignity  of 
the  Territory  of  Florida,  and  against  the  form  of  the 
statute  in  such  case  made  and  provided- 

Walker  Anderson, 
Z7.  8.  Attorney,  <!^c, 

[3rd.] 

With  force  and  arms,  in  the  county  aforesaid, 

forcibly,  wilfully,  and  unlawfully  did  steal  and  carry 
away  a  certain  negro  slave,  named  Moses  Johnson, 
of  the  goods  and  chattels  of  one  Robert  C.  Caldwell, 
then  and  there  being  found,  of  the  value  of  six  hun- 
dred dollars,  against  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Florida,  and  the  form  of  the  statute  in  such 
case  made  and  provided. 

Walker  Anderson, 
U.  S,  Attorney,  <Sfc. 

[4th.] 

With  force  and  arms,  in  the  county  aforesaid, 

one  negro  man  slave,  named  Charles  Johnson,  of  the 
value  of  six  hundred  dollars,  of  the  goods  and  chattels 
of  one  George  Willis,  then  and  there  being  found, 
feloniously  and  unlawfully  did  entice  to  run  away, 
thereby  wilfully  causing  the  loss  of  the  labor  of  the 
said  slave  to  the  said  George  Willis;  to  the  great 
damage  of  the  said  Willis,  against  the  peace  and  the 
dignity  of  the  Territory  of  Florida,  and  against  the 
form  of  the  statute  in  such  case  made  and  provided. 

Walker  Anderson, 
Z7.  /S.  Attorney,  ^c. 

My  counsel   objected   to  four  indictments    being 


36  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

arrayed  against  me  for  one  act  of  offence,  if  it  was  an 
act  ai  all.  On  this  point,  a  discussion  of  some  length 
took  place  between  him  and  the  prosecuting  attorney ; 
but  the  judge  decided,  that  in  order  to  come  at  the 
subject  properly,  one  case  should  be  tried.  Accord- 
ingly, the  jury  were  selected  and  sworn,  and  took 
their  seats. 

Robert  C.  Caldwell,  being  qualified  as  witness, 
testified  that  he  accompanied  the  district  marshal  to 
the  steamboat  Gen.  Taylor,  at  the  navy-yard,  to  con- 
duct the  prisoner  to  Pensacola,  and  in  conversation 
with  him,  prisoner  said  that  Silas  came  to  his  boat  a 
little  below  the  city,  and  got  in  with  some  others,  but 
that  he  did  not  know  him,  and  did  not  recollect  ever 
seeing  him  before.  This  he  (witness)  believed  to  be 
correct,  for  it  agreed  with  what  the  boy  (Silas)  had 
told  him  ;  and  that  prisoner  also  said  that  he  had  for 
a  long  time  been  of  the  opinion  that  he  would  aid 
slaves  to  secure  their  liberty,  if  opportunity  offered. 

Richard  Roberts,  called  and  sworn,  testified,  that 
at  day-break,  on  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  July, 
about  five  leagues  to  the  westward  of  the  light  ship  on 
Carryfut's  reef,  he  fell  in  with  the  prisoner  and  seven 
black  men  in  a  boat.  He  was  suspicious  that  the 
black  men  were  runaway  slaves  ;  he  went  alongside 
of  the  boat  with  his  vessel,  and  told  his  mate  to  make 
fast  to  the  boat,  and  requested  prisoner  and  the  black 
men  to  come  on  board  his  sloop,  and  said  that  he  was 
bound  the  same  way,  and  would  give  them  a  tow ; 
but  he  found  out,  by  some  of  the  black  men,  that  they 
were  runaway  slaves ;  consequently,  he  took  them  all 
to  Key  West,  and  delivered  them  up  to  the  authorities 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  39 

at  that  place.  The  prisoner  was  very  sick  at  the  time, 
but  requested  that  he  might  be  allowed  to  have  his 
boat  and  proceed  on,  saying  that  he  had  a  family  that 
were  dependent  on  him  for  support,  and,  if  deprived  of 
his  services,  would  suffer  in  consequence. 

The  jury  were  charged,  in  a  few  formal  words,  and 
the  first  indictment  handed  to  them.  They  retired  to 
their  room,  and  in  about  a  half  an  hour  returned  with 
the  verdict,  that  they  had  found  the  prisoner  guilty, 
and  awarded  him  to  bo  branded  on  the  right  hand 
with  the  letters  SS. 

The  same  jury  was  sworn  again,  and  by  the 
judge  charged  on  the  other  three  indictments.  They 
withdrew,  and  were  out  between  two  and  three  hours, 
and  returned  with  the  following  verdict :  that  they 
had  found  the  prisoner  guilty  of  all  the  charges  pre- 
ferred against  him  in  the  other  three  indictments,  and 
a\varded  him  to  stand  in  the  pillory  one  hour,  to  be 
imprisoned  fifteen  days,  and  to  pay  a  fine  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars. 

I  was  again  remanded  to  prison,  until  the  16th, 
at  10,  A.  M, ;  when  I  was  conducted  to  court,  and 
on  arriving  at  the  court-house,  (in  front  of  which 
was  the  pillory,)  the  marshal  proceeded  to  place  me 
in  the  pillory.  I  told  him  that  I  had  not  yet  received 
sentence.  The  marshal  replied  that  this  was  sentence 
enough — referring  to  the  pillory.  But  before  I  was 
properly  secured,  the  deputy  marshal  ordered  me  to 
be  brought  into  court.  This  order  was  obeyed ;  and 
I  was  again  arraigned  before  the  court,  to  receive  the 
following  sentence  : — To  be  placed  in  the  pillory  for 
one  hour  ;  then  brought  into  court,  and  branded  in  the 


40  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

right  hand  with  the  letters  SS.;  and  then  remanded 
to  prison  for  fifteen  days,  and  remain  there  until  the 
fine  (one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars)  and  the  costs  of 
prosecution  should  be  paid."^  I  was  then  placed  in  the 
pillory,  and  when  I  had  been  there  about  half  an  hour, 
George  Willis,  mentioned  in  the  fourth  indictment, 
stepped  from  the  crowd  of  spectators,  who  were  stand- 
ing by,  (quietly  beholding  the  inhuman  administration 
of  the  laws  of  Florida,)  and  snatched  from  my  head 
a  handkerchief,  which  had  been  placed  there  by  the 
deputy  marshal,  to  screen  me  from  the  sun ;  saying, 
that  he  had  offered  a  dollar  to  any  person  that  would 
do  it ;  but,  as  no  one  else  would,  he  would  do  it  him- 
self. He  then  took  from  his  coat  pocket  two  rotten 
eggs,  and  hurled  them  very  spitefully  at  my  head, 
which  took  effect,  and  excited  a  burst  of  indignation 
from  the  bystanders.  The  said  Willis  was  heard  to 
offer  the  boys  a  great  price  for  rotten  eggs  ;  but  he 
could  find  none  vile  enough  to  accommodate  him. 
He  was  indicted,  and  appealed  to  the  December 
court  in  Saint  Rosa  (adjoining)  county,  and  was 
there  tried,  and  fined  six  and  a  quarter  cents. 

After  the  expiration  of  the  hour,  I  was  taken  back 
of  the  court-house,  and  water  given  me  to  wash  with, 
and  then  conducted  into  court  again,  to  receive  the 
remainder  of  my  sentence.  When  about  to  be 
branded,  I  was  placed  in  the  prisoner's  box.  The 
marshal,  Ebenezer  Dorr,  formerly  of  Maine,  pro- 
ceeded to  tie  my  hand  to  a  part  of  the  railing  in  front. 

*  After  repeated  solicitations,  I  was  able  to  get  at  the 
amount  of  the  costs,  the  6th  of  December,  twenty-one  days 
afler  my  trial. 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER. 


43 


1  remarked  that  there  was  no  need  of  tying  it,  for  I 
would  hold  still.  He  observed  that  it  was  best  to 
make  sure,  and  tied  it  firmly  to  the  post,  in  fair 
view ;  he  then  took  from  the  fire  the  branding-iron, 
of  a  slight  red  heat,  and  applied  it  to  the  ball  of  my 
hand,  and  pressed  it  on  firmly,  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
seconds.  It  made  a  spattering  noise,  like  a  handful 
of  salt  in  the  fire,  as  the  skin  seared  and  gave  way  to 
the  hot  iron.  The  pain  was  severe  while  the  iron  was 
on,  and  for  some  time  afterwards.  There  appeared 
to  be  but  few  that  wished  to  witness  the  scene ;  but  my 
friend,  George  Willis,  placed  himself  where  he  could 
have  a  fair  view,  and  feasted  his  eyes  upon  it,  appa- 
rently with  great  delight. 

I  was  then  remanded  to  prison,  but  not  put  in  irons 
as  before.  A  few  hours  after  my  re-commitment,  the 
marshal  called  and  served  three  writs  upon  me,  for 
trespass  and  damage,  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred 
and  six  thousand  dollars,  on  the  property  of  Robert 
C.  Caldwell,  Byrd  C.  Willis,  and  George  Willis. 

The  Territory  of  Florida  was  established  by  a  law 
of  the  United  States,  passed  March  30,  1822. 

The  fifth  section  of  this  act  provides,  "  that  the 
legislative  power  shall  be  vested  in  the  governor,  and 
in  thirteen  of  the  most  fit  and  discreet  persons  of  the 
territory,  to  be  called  the  Legislative  Council,"  &c.; 
that  "  their  legislative  powers  shall  also  extend  to  all 
the  rightful  subjects  of  legislation  ;  but  no  law  shall 
be  valid  lohich  is  inconsistent  with  the  constitution 
and  laivs  of  the  United  States,  or  which  shall  lay 
any  person  under  restraint,  burthen,  or  disability,  on 
account  of  his  religious  opinions,  professions  or  wor-    ^ 


44  TRIAL   AND   IMPRlSONME^iT 

ship,  in  all  which  he  shall  be  free  to  maintain  his  own 
and  not  burthened  with  those  of  another." 

The  tenth  section  of  the  same  act  provides,  "  That 
to  the  end  that  the  inhabitants  may  be  protected  in 
their  liberty,  property,  and  the  exercise  of  their  reli- 
gion, no  law  shall  ever  be  valid  which  shall  impair, 
or  in  any  way  restrain,  the  freedom  of  religious  opin- 
ions, professions,  or  worship ;  they  shall  be  entitled  to 
the  benefit  of  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus ;  they  shall 
be  bailable  in  all  cases,  except  for  capital  offences, 
where  the  proof  is  evident,  or  the  presumption  great ; 
all  fines  shall  be  moderate  and  proportioned  to  the 
offence,  and  excessive  bail  shall  not  be  required,  nor 
cruel  nor  unusual  'punishments  injiictedy 

The  Act  of  March  3rd,  1823,  contains  the  same 
provisions. 

The  law  under  which  I  was  indicted,  was  enacted 
by  the  territorial  government,  and  provides  as  the 
punishment  for  the  crime  therein  recited,  imprisonment 
not  exceeding  six  months ;  standing  in  the  pillory ; 
brandings  or  a  fine  not  exceeding  one  thousand  dol- 
lars, at  the  discretion  of  the  jury. 

It  seems  plain,  that  the  law  of  the  United  States 
having  prohibited  cruel  and  unusual  punishments^  and 
having  declared  that  no  law  of  the  territorial  govern- 
ment, inconsistent  with  the  United  States  laws,  shall 
ever  be  valid;  this  territorial  law,  under  which  I 
was  punished,  is  void. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


26.  I  will  conclude  my  memorandum.     L.  T.  and 
mother  whipped  the  cook,  alternately,  spell  and  spell. 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  4S 

F.  T.  whipped  the  cook,  severely. 

Dec.  2.  Received  a  visit  from  T.  M.  Blunt,  of  New 
York.     He  had  been  in  the  city  thirteen  days. 

5.  A  slave  woman  committed  for  not  staying  at 
home  enough,  and  taken  out  next  day. 

8.  Received  a  letter  from  John  Scoble,  London,  and 
a  resolution  adopted  by  a  committee  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Anti-slavery  Society  in  regard  to  Charles 
T.  Torrey  and  myself.^ 

9.  A  slave  man  committed  for  being  in  liquor  and 
quarrelsome,  and  let  out  next  day. 

16.  A  slave  man  committed  for  disobedience; 
whipped  ten  blows  with  a  paddle,  and  let  out  next  day. 

25.  Two  seamen  committed  from  brig  Hazard,  of 
Portland,  for  attempting  to  obtain  their  discharge* 
They  had  refused  to  do  duty  on  board. 

27.  A  slave  man  committed.     He  was  intoxicated. 

28.  He  was  let  out  again  ;  and  one  of  the  seamen 
put  in  on  the  25th,  was  discharged. 

29.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

Jan.  3,  1845.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook  twice. 

9.  Two  white  men  committed  for  debt,  and  dis- 
charged.   Received  a  letter  from  J.  P.  Nickerson,  Esq. 

10.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook.  A  slave  man  com- 
mitted for  going  out  of  town  at  Christmas,  and  staying 
too  long.  A  slave  boy  put  in  with  me.  He  had 
played  truant.     He  was  let  out  next  morning. 

13.  A  white  man  committed,  on  suspicion  of  plot- 
ting to  rob  the  mail. 

14.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook. 

15.  A  white  man  put  in  with  me,  to  get  sober,  to 
use  in  evidence.     He  was  taken  out  next  day. 

*  See  page  84. 


46  TRIAL    AND    IMPRISONMENT 

16.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook  twice. 

20.  The  white  man  committed  the  13th,  on  suspi- 
cion, was  discharged. 

21.  A  slave  boy  committed  for  running  away. 
24.  The    other  seaman,  put  in  from  brig  Hazard, 

on  the  25th  uh.,  was  discharged.  A  deserting  soldier 
caught,  committed,  taken  out,  and  sent  to  the  navy- 
yard. 

26.  The  slave  man  put  in  on  the  10th,  taken  out, 
and  sent  to  New  Orleans,  to  be  sold. 

27.  A  slave  woman  committed  for  attempting  to 
defend  herself  when  about  to  be  whipped  by  her  mis- 
tress. The  next  day  she  was  flogged  twenty-four 
blows  with  the  paddle,  and  twelve  with  the  cowhide, 
and  sent  home. 

Feb.  6.  I  will  detail  the  following  circumstance,  for 
which  I  have  been  almost  censured  by  warm  friends. 
My  readers  can  make  their  own  comments.  While 
eating  my  dinner,  I  was  informed,  by  what  I  thought 
good  authority,  that  the  marshal  would  take  me,  at  4, 
P.  M.,  before  a  magistrate,  to  be  examined  on  other 
charges — what,  my  informant  would  not,  or  could  not 
tell ;  but  said  that  he  heard  the  marshal  say  he  was 
coming  for  me  at  four  o'clock.  I  was  somewhat 
apprehensive  that  it  was  a  device  of  some  persons  ill- 
disposed  towards  me,  and  not  satisfied  with  the  course 
which  the  law  had  taken,  and  who  were  disposed  to 
make  use  of  other  than  legal  means.  I  hinted  this  to 
my  informant.  His  reply  was,  "  They  are  going  to 
play  the  devil  with  you."  My  suspicion  was  strength- 
ened by  the  district  attorney  and  judge  being  abroad 
at  the  time,  and  by  the  lateness  of  the  hour  selected 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  4^ 

for  taking  me  from  prison ;  so  I  did  not  think  it  pru- 
dent for  me  to  leave  the  prison,  except  I  could  be  con- 
vinced that  I  should  be  subject  to  no  illegal  dealings. 
At  the  above  mentioned  time,  the  marshal  called,  and 
requested  me  to  go  with  him  before  a  magistrate.  I 
declined  going,  and  gave  him  some  reasons  why  ;  and 
told  him,  that  whatever  examination  I  was  to  undergo, 
I  preferred  it  should  take  place  where  I  was.  The 
marshal  left,  and  some  time  after  returned,  saying  that 
the  magistrate  refused  to  come  to  the  jail ;  and  again 
requested  me  to  go  with  him.  I  still  declined.  He 
then  staned  to  leave,  when  the  jailer  spoke  to  him  a 
few  minutes.  He  then  returned,  and  read  to  me  a  letter 
from  the  district  judge,  who  was  then  at  Talahassee, 
(Middle  Florida,)  with  instructions  to  take  me  before 
a  magistrate  for  examination,  on  a  charge  of  inducing 
three  slaves  to  leave  the  service  of  their  masters.  The 
marshal  then  left  me ;  and  the  reader  may  picture  to 
his  mind  my  feelings,  as  well  as  he  can ;  for  I  have 
no  faculty  to  express  them  on  paper. 

I  had  for  several  weeks  been  expecting  to  be  libe- 
rated from  my  disagreeable  situation,  through  the 
liberality  of  friends  -who  had  been  imposed  upon  in 
regard  to  my  true  situation,  and  prevented  from  doing 
for  me  what  they  had  attempted,  by  supplying  the 
pecuniary  means  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  court ; 
and  had  been  twice  disappointed ;  but  now^  it  seemed 
that  the  most  favorable  issue  which  I  could  expect, 
was  to  be  chained  up  for  three  or  four  months  longer 
in  that  woman  whipping-shop,  and  go  through  another 
trial  for  the  same  offence ;  with  the  continual  accumu- 
lation of  obstacles  to  my  release  ;  and  for  my  family 


48  TRIAL  AND   IMPRISONMENT 

to  remain  objects  of  charity  ;  my  aged  parents  and 
other  near  friends,  suffering  affliction  ;  and  all  to  gra- 
tify a  few  God  and  man-haters,  who  were  feasting 
their  rage  upon  one  helpless  object,  whom  Providence 
had  in  some  measure  placed  where  they  could  wreak 
their  vengeance  on  him.  These  were  some  of  the 
most  favorable  considerations  which  occurred  to  my 
mind  ;   and  which  have  since  been  realized. 

Knowing  that  my  enemies  would  spare  no  pains  in 
doing  me  all  the  injury  in  their  power,  I  thought  it 
no  harm  to  use  some  pacific  means  to  place  myself 
beyond  their  power ;  feeling  confident  that  right  did 
not  demand  the  punishment  my  persecutors  intended 
for  me.  Neither  had  I  much  time  to  reflect  on  the 
subject  ;  for  I  was  confident  that  the  next  day  I 
should  be  put  in  irons  again,  and  then  about  all 
chance  to  rescue  myself  would  be  cut  off.  Seeing 
that  it  required  but  little  effort  or  ingenuity  to  open 
the  doors  myself,  I  gave  way  to  the  impulse  of  present 
feeling,  and  without  any  difficulty  succeeded  in  open- 
ing the  doors,  without  doing  them  one  dollar's  worth 
of  injury ;  although  I  was  charged  ten  dollars  for 
repairing  the  door,  including  a  new  lock.  For  what 
purpose  the  lock  was  used  I  know  not.  I  am  sure  it 
was  not  used  on  any  of  the  jail  doors,  for  the  same 
locks  that  were  on  the  doors  when  I  went  there,  were 
on  the  doors  when  I  left.  But,  as  a  very  slight  noise 
could  be  heard  in  the  rooms  above,  the  family  took 
the  alarm,  and  prevented  my  departure.  I  was  made 
secure  until  the  next  day,  when  the  marshal  called, 
and  without  any  ceremony,  took  me  before  three 
magistrates.     Satisfactory  evidence  against  me  was 


OF    JONATHAN   WALKER.  49 

produced  to  insure  my  committal  until  the  next  term 
of  court  in  May,  unless  I  give  bail  in  the  sum  of 
$3,000.  So  I  was  remanded  to  prison  again  and 
put  in  irons,  to  await  the  result  of  what  might  follow. 

I  shall  mention  but  a  few  more  items  from  my 
memorandum,  and  then,  briefly  notice  some  other 
points. 

Feb.  9.  A  slave  man  and  woman  were  committed 
for  being  out  too  late,  but  discharged  the  next  day. 

10.  The  slave  boy  committed  the  21st  of  last 
month,  taken  out,  and  sent  to  New  Orleans,  to  sell. 
None  but  myself  now  in  jail. 

17.  Two  slave  women  and  one  man  brought  to 
jail  and  whipped  ten  blows  each,  on  the  bare  back, 
and  discharged.  They  were  accused  of  using  some 
of  their  master's  money  without  his  permission. 

19.  L.  T.  whipped  the  cook.  The  jailer's  family 
moved  to  another  house. 

25.  A  slave  boy  committed,  who  received  twenty 
blows  with  the  paddle,  and  was  then  sent  home.  He 
had  played  truant. 

27.  A  slave  man  brought  to  jail  and  whipped, 
twenty-five  blows  with  cowhide.  His  master  was 
intoxicated  ;  lost  some  change  ;  the  slave  picked  it  up, 
and  attempted  to  use  some  of  it.  A  white  man  com- 
mitted, for  being  intoxicated  and  quarrelsome. 

March  1.  A  slave  man  committed,  to  gratify  a 
drunken  master,  and  released  again  the  same  day. 

4.  The  white  man  committed  on  the  27th  ult.  was 
released. 

16.  A  slave  man  brought  to  jail  and  flogged  twenty- 
5  4 


60  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

five  blows  with  a  paddle,  and  twenty  with  a  cowhide. 
He  was  charged  with  not  doing  work  enough. 

19.  A  slave  boy  committed ;  flogged  for  playing 
truant,  and  let  out  the  same  day. 

20.  A  sick  slave  man  committed,  I  do  not  know  for 
what,  and  let  out  the  next  day. 

31.  A  slave  man  committed  for  getting  intoxicated, 
and  let  out  the  next  day. 

April  1.  A  slave  man  committed ;  he  had  been  sent 
to  New  Orleans  for  sale,  but  was  returned. 

2.  A  white  man  committed  at  his  own  request ;  he 
had  been  on  a  drinking  spree,  and  was  afraid  he 
should  do  something  to  get  him  into  trouble. 

7.  He  was  discharged. 

12.  A  slave  woman  brought  to  jail  and  flogged 
severely.  The  slave  man  committed  on  the  1st,  flog- 
ged twenty-four  blows  with  the  paddle,  and  thirty  with 
the  cowhide,  to  gratify  his  drunken  mistress,  as  they 
could  not  sell  him  to  their  mind,  in  New  Orleans. 
The  flogging  made  him  quite  sick  for  several  days. 
A  white  man  committed,  charged  with  assault  and 
battery. 

15.  A  slave  man  committed  for  allowing  a  horse 
to  run  with  him  in  the  street. 

16.  He  was  flogged  fifteen  blow^s  with  a  cowhide, 
and  discharged. 

19.  The  slave  man  flogged  on  the  12th,  was  taken 
from  jail  and  sent  to  Mobile  to  be  sold. 

This  is  the  slave  that  was  committed  on  the  10th  of 
January,  for  staying  too  long  with  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren at  Christmas.  His  master  had  a  plantation  thirty 
or  forty  miles  from  Pensacola,  where  he  had  lived 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  51 

for  a  number  of  years,  but  had  lately  moved  to  Pensa- 
cola  and  offered  his  plantation  for  sale ;  and,  not  hav- 
ing employment  for  his  slaves,  was  desirous  to  con- 
vert some  of  them  into  other  property.  And  although 
this  slave  was  permitted  at  Christmas  to  go  and  see 
his  family,  who  still  lived  in  the  neighborhood  he  had 
formerly  lived  in,  and  were  claimed  as  property  by 
another  man,  yet  his  staying  over  his  time,  gave  suffi- 
cient cause  (as  per  slave  code)  for  removing  him  for- 
ever from  them,  notwithstanding  he  offered  to  produce 
the  proof  of  his  inability  to  return  at  the  time  appointed, 
on  account  of  sickness.  Nevertheless,  he  was  kept  in 
jail  sixteen  days,  and  then  sent  to  New  Orleans.  But 
being  too  old  to  meet  with  a  ready  sale  in  that  mar- 
ket, he  was  returned  again  the  1st  of  April,  and 
lodged  in  jail  until  the  12th,  when  his  mistress  came 
there  in  a  rage,  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  and 
caused  him  to  be  flogged  as  mentioned  above ;  and 
during  the  performance,  she  stood  by  and  gave  direc- 
tions to  the  operator,  yelping  all  the  while  at  the  man- 
gled victim  of  her  anger.  A  few  days  after,  he  was 
sent  to  Mobile  for  sale.  He  did  not  meet  with  a  mar- 
ket, and  was  sent  back;  but  soon  after  his  return 
escaped  from  his  tormentors,  and  I  have  since  heard 
no  more  of  him. 

27.  I  received  a  letter  from  B.  D.  Wright,  coun- 
sellor at  law,  enclosing  a  letter  to  him  from  H.  I. 
Bovvditch  of  Boston,  relating  to  my  circumstances. 

May  1.  A  fugitive  slave  apprehended  and  com- 
mitted ;  he  had  straight  hair,  and  looked  more  like  an 
Indian  than  a  negro,  and  tried  to  nass  himself  for  one. 


52  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 


CHAPTER  VII. 

May  the  Sth,  soon  after  10  A.  M.,  I  was  conducted 
to  the  court-house  by  the  marshal  and  constable. 
The  judge  inquired  if  I  had  counsel.  I  replied  that  I 
had  not.  He  then  appointed  Alfred  L.  Woodward  to 
defend  me,  and  also  W.  W.  J.  Kelly,  Esq.,  assistant 
counsel.  As  Mr.  Woodward  was  not  duly  informed 
in  the  case,  we  thought  it  best  to  have  the  trial  put  off 
until  the  next  day.  I  had  no  desire  to  have  counsel  to 
manage  my  defence,  not  thinking  it  would  be  to  my 
advantage,  but  to  submit  the  case  to  the  magnanimity 
of  the  jury ;  but  as  the  judge  had  appointed  coun- 
sel, I  did  not  deem  it  advisable  to  reject  it, — confi- 
dent that  it  would  excite  his  displeasure,  which  would 
be  likely  to  have  an  unfavorable  effect  on  my  case. 

I  remarked  to  my  counsel  that  I  consented  to  a 
present  trial,  only  on  condition  that  all  relating  to  the 
charges  preferred  against  me,  should  be  placed  before 
the  court  for  final  action ;  and  that  no  part  or  section 
be  kept  back  or  reserved  for  a  future  consideration. 
I  was  remanded  to  jail  again,  and  that  afternoon  had 
an  interview  with  Mr.  Woodward. 

May  9th,  between  10  and  11  A.  M.,  I  was  arraigned 
before  the  court,  and  soon  after  a  jury  was  called  and 
qualified.  The  district  attorney  produced  three  indict- 
ments against  me,  charging  me  with  assisting  as  many 
slaves  to  escape  from  their  masters,  &c.  A  short  dis- 
cussion followed  between  the  district  attorney  and 
counsel  for  the  defendant,  respecting  the  validity  of 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  53 

the  law  in  the  multiplication  of  punishments  for  the 
same  offence,  and  at  different  periods ;  but  the  court 
decided  that  I  was  liable  to  be  tried  separately  for 
each  charge  alleged  against  me,  although  there  was 
but  one  act  in  the  commission. 

Robert  C.  Caldwell,  the  only  witness  in  the  case, 
was  sworn,  and  testified  that  he  accompanied  the  dep- 
uty marshal  to  and  from  the  steamboat  General  Tay- 
lor, where  he  went  to  conduct  the  defendant  from  said 
steamboat  to  the  city,  about  the  20th  July  last,  and  on 
the  passage  to  the  city  in  the  boat,  he  heard  defendent 
say  that  he  took  from  the  shore  near  the  city,  the 
slaves  mentioned  in  the  indictments,  on  board  his 
boat  on  the  evening  of  the  22d  June  last,  and  went  to 
sea  with  them,  and  was  taken  by  a  sloop  not  far  from 
Cape  Florida,  and  carried  to  Key  West,  and  that 
defendant  told  him  that  he  had  been  for  a  long  time 
of  the  opinion  that  whenever  an  opportunity  offered, 
he  would  assist  slaves  to  obtain  their  freedom. 

The  district  attorney  addressed  the  jury  for  a  few 
minutes,  portraying  the  magnitude  of  the  offence,  the 
abuse  of  rights,  &c.,  stating  the  result  of  the  trials  of 
Charles  T.  Torrey  and  Calvin  Fairbanks,  in  Maryland 
and  Kentucky — ^not  forgetting  to  direct  a  few  shot  at 
the  northern  "  fanatical  abolitionists." 

W.  W.  J.  Kelly  next  made  some  very  appro- 
priate and  feeling  remarks  upon  the  administration 
and  severity  of  the  law  already  inflicted  on  the 
prisoner  for  the  same  offence,  and  his  long  confine- 
ment in  prison  and  in  chains,  and  the  deprivation 
entailed  upon  his  deeply  afflicted  family,  &c.  He 
was  followed  by  A.  L.  Woodward,  commenting  on 
3# 


54  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

the  multiplicity  of  punishments  for  the  same  offence 
when  no  act  of  an  incendiary,  or  violent  character  had 
appeared,  to  aggravate  the  case,  hut  the  prisoner  had 
quietly  submitted,  without  a  murmur,  to  the  heaviest 
punishments  the  law  could  inflict  upon  him.  He 
appealed  to  the  magnanimity  and  humanity  of  the 
jury  to  put  a  stop  to  this  persecution ;  neither  the  law 
nor  the  interest  and  welfare  of  the  country  demanded 
more ;  even  common  sense  forbade  it.  He  requested 
them  to  render  a  verdict  which  their  conscience  would 
approve,  and  not  to  heap  vengeance  on  the  head  of 
their  helpless  fellow-being,  &c.  &c. 

The  judge  charged  the  jury  to  find  the  prisoner 
guilty,  and  not  to  allow  any  sympathy  for  the  accused 
to  sway  them  from  inflicting  strict  justice  on  him,  for 
it  was  not  the  accused  who  had  the  right  to  complain 
of  the  severity  of  the  law,  or  demand  their  sympathy ; 
but  those  that  were  dead  and  their  friends."^  The 
rights,  safety,  and  honor  of  the  country  demanded 
justice  from  its  courts. 

The  cases  were  submitted  to  the  jury  at  about  12 
M.,  and  I  was  soon  after  remanded  to  jail  again,  and 
placed  in  irons  as  usual.  The  next  day  I  received  a 
note  from  W.  W.  J.  Kelly,  stating  that  the  jury  had 
that  morning  returned  in  court,  and  rendered  a  verdict 
of  guilty  in  each  case,  and  assessed  me  a  fine  of  $5 
in  each  case ;  and  that  I  was  to  remain  in  custody 
until  the  fines  and  costs  ^ere  paid. 

The  judge,  district  attorney,  and  my  counsel  were 

*  I  know  not  what  he  meant  by  this  expression,  except  he  had  his 
eye  on  that  old  St.  Domingo  hobby  horse  so  often  backed  by  the 
advocates  of  slavery. 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  55 

slave-holders,  and  some  of  the  jury  also.  Surrounded 
by  slave-holders,  and  in  a  section  of  the  country 
where  slavery  is  held  to  be  one  of  their  most  sacred 
rights,  what  had  I  to  expect  at  their  hands ;  well 
known,  and  thoroughly  proved  to  be  hostile  in  the 
highest  degree  to  the  system  of  American  slavery,  and 
placed  in  their  power,  subject  to  their  will,  for  the 
commission  of  an  act,  which  is  now  held  to  be  a  capi- 
tal offence,  and  punishable  with  death  ?^  In  considera- 
tion of  these,  and  some  other  things  which  might  be 
brought  into  the  account,  it  shows  that  vengeance  has 
not  yet  buried  humanity,  nor  destroyed  all  the  sym- 
pathy existing  between  men  and  those  whose  opinion 
differs  from  their  own  upon  subjects  of  great  impor- 
tance. 

The  jury  was  an  intelligent  one,  and  among  them 
was  the  city  mayor,  and  I  submitted  my  case  cheer- 
fully to  their  decision,  confident  that  the  verdict  would 
be  as  mild  as  their  responsible  situation  would  admit 
of;  and  my  expectations  were  more  than  realized;  for 
which  mild  and  humane  verdict  they  are  entitled  to 
my  grateful  thanks  and  high  consideration,  for  they 
have  shown  themselves  to  be  untrammelled  by  preju- 
dice, or  actuated  by  revenge  toward  their  helpless  fel- 
low-being. 

I  thought  the  judge  manifested  a  considerable  de- 
gree of  prejudice  against  me,  especially  in  this  last 
trial ;  "  Surely  oppression  maketh  a  wise  man  mad." 
But  I  saw  no  display  of  any  unkind  feelings  from  any 

*  The  recommendation  of  the  Legislative  Committee,  (see  page 
— ,)  was  adopted  at  the  same  session. 


56  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

other  persons,  in  or  out  of  court,  except  by  those  who 
considered  themselves  so  grievously  injured  and  im- 
posed upon  by  my  allowing  some  of  their  two-legged 
chattels  to  walk  off  in  company  with  me ;  or  rather, 
to  allow  the  wind  to  blow  them  away  from  that  mill 
which  is  constantly  grinding  the  faces  of  the  poor, 
and  whose  owner,  like  the  greedy  horseleech,  thirsts 
for  more,  "  and  saith,  it  is  not  enough." 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Having  gone  through  with  the  principal  events  in 
relation  to  my  capture,  return,  imprisonment,  and  legal 
dealings,  I  shall  notice  a  few  points  which  may  not  be 
altogether  improper  or  unimportant.  And  if  it  be  ne- 
cessary to  make  some  personal  allusions  or  pointed 
remarks,  it  shall  not  be  done  at  the  expense  of  truth, 
or  in  a  spirit  of  ill-will  to  any.  But  as  they  in 
some  instances  have  sacrificed  truth  and  right  for  the 
sake  of  casting  obloquy  and  envy  upon  me  and  the 
abolitionists,  and  to  excite  a  greater  degree  of  hatred 
against  those  who  sympathize  with  their  unfortunate 
and  deeply  injured  fellow-beings,  they  have  no  reason 
to  complain  if  I  should  expose  them  a  little.  All 
those  who  have  had  any  control  over  me,  will  only  be 
spoken  of  as  relates  to  their  conduct  to  my  positive 
knowledge. 

I  have  before  said,  that  Captain  Richard  Roberts,  of 


OF    JONATHAN   WALKER.  57 

the  sloop  Eliza  Catherine,  treated  me  with  civility 
while  on  board  of  his  vessel.  But  who  delegated  to 
him  the  right  to  take  charge  of  me  and  my  boat  by 
force  on  the  high  seas,  without  consent  or  ceremony, 
and  convey  me  more  than  a  hundred  miles  from  my 
course,  to  a  distant  island,  where  I  could  have  no 
means  of  self-defence,  without  any  knowledge  of  my 
being  in  any  way  liable  ? 

Is  not  this  food  for  skepticism  ?  Here  are  two  indi- 
viduals brought  in  contact,  both  professing  the  same 
religious  faith,  both  having  privately  and  publicly 
declared,  before  God  and  man,  that  they  have  resolved 
to  be  followers  of  him  who  taught  his  disciples  to 
have  compassion  on,  and  extend  their  aid  to  their  suf- 
fering fellow-men,  and  who  illustrated  the  same  by 
numerous  precepts  and  examples  of  his  own  life  ; — one 
endeavoring  to  rescue  some  of  those  who  had  fallen 
among  thieves  and  been  cruelly  dealt  with,  and  try- 
ing to  assist  them  to  obtain  their  lost  but  natural 
rights,  to  which  they  are  entitled  by  the  declaration 
of  American  Independence,  and  by  the  laws  of  God 
given  to  men.  The  other,  being  in  possession  of  supe- 
rior power,  not  only  opposing  the  efforts  of  the  former, 
and  preventing  him  from  complying  with  the  com- 
mand of  their  divine  Master,  of  doing  unto  others  as 
he  would  that  others  would  do  unto  him,  were  he  in 
similar  circumstances, — but  placing  his  helpless  bro- 
ther in  a  situation  where  his  life  would  be  in  jeopardy, 
and  his  dependant  family  and  friends  made  misera- 
ble. 

I  do  not  wish  to  cast  any  undue  reflections  upon 
Captain  Roberts;  but  I  do  lament  the  lack  of  moral 


58  TRIAL    AND   IMPRISONMENT 

courage,  and  the  deep  depravity  of  such  professors  of 
Christianity ;  for  surely  he  that  hath  no  pity  on  those 
of  his  fellow-creatures  "  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can 
he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen?"  For  saith 
Jesus,  "As  ye  have  not  done  it  unto  one  of  these,  ye 
have  not  done  it  unto  me." 

Captain  Roberts  manifested  great  seriousness  and 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  religion.  Yet  profanity 
passed  freely  in  the  cabin  and  about  his  vessel's 
decks  unrebuked.  And  I  could  not  but  think  that  he 
did  not  pay  any  too  strict  regard  to  honesty,  as  several 
articles  that  were  taken  from  my  boat  on  board  of  his 
vessel,  could  not  be  found  by  the  sheriff,  who  went  on 
board  for  them.  I  tried  to  have  some  conversation 
with  him  while  on  board,  but  that  he  carefully  avoided 
by  keeping  at  a  distance.  But  Captain  Roberts  may 
be  assured  that  I  have  no  unkind  feelings  toward 
him;  if  he  acted  under  the  conviction  of  duty  and 
justice,  he  has  nothing  to  fear ;  but  if  otherwise  his 
conscience  and  his  Judge  will  adjust  it. 

The  treatment  of  Sheriff  Page,  at  Key  West,  was 
kind  and  obliging,  and  of  him  I  should  have  no  occa- 
sion to  complain,  if  he  had,  as  I  requested,  informed 
me  what  disposition  was  made  of  my  effects  which 
were  in  his  charge. 

Esquire  Balany  (I  think  that  was  the  name  of  the 
magistrate  to  whom  my  case  was  submitted)  mani- 
fested no  unkind  feelings  towards  me,  and  allowed 
me  as  much  indulgence  as  circumstances  would 
admit  of.  But  the  district  attorney,  whom  I  saw  on 
two  occasions,  appeared  to  have  "  taken  pepper  in  his 
nose,"  and  soon  gave  me  to  understand  that  I  had  no 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  59 

favors  to  expect  from  that  quarter.  I  also  received 
kind  treatment  from  the  jailer  at  that  place — but  did 
not  stay  long  enough  at  the  soldiers'  barracks  to  form 
any  acquaintance  there. 

As  to  Commander  Ferrand,  of  the  steamboat  Gen- 
eral Taylor,  on  board  of  which  I  was  shipped  to 
Pensacola,  he  did  not  make  any  great  display  of  good 
feeling  in  my  behalf,  although  he  indulged  me  in  a 
steam  bath  a  considerable  part  of  the  passage,  by  hav- 
ing me  placed  in  the  hold  of  the  boat,  where  the  engine 
and  fire  were,  to  my  no  small  discomfort.  Also  good 
care  was  taken  that  I  should  neither  dance  nor  play 
on  the  fiddle,  by  closely  confining  both  hands  and  feet 
in  irons.  The  lieutenant  was  a  South  Carolina 
chicken,  well  stuffed  with  McDufiieism,  from  whom  no 
answer  to  any  question  could  be  obtained,  or  any 
reply  directly  to  me.  His  name,  I  think,  was  Ander- 
son. He  had  got  his  lesson  from  the  nullification 
roost,  and  was  prepared  to  look  daggers  at  everything 
in  the  shape  of  abolitionism. 

Soon  after  my  committal  to  jail  in  Pensacola,  a 
printed  hand-bill  was  presented  to  me,  ofTering  a 
reward  of  $1700  for  the  apprehension  and  delivery  at 
Pensacola  of  seven  slaves,  at  one  hundred  dollars 
each,  if  taken  out  of  the  territory;  and  if  within  its 
limits,  fifty  dollars  each ;  and  after  giving  some  de- 
scription of  each,  it  goes  on  at  a  considerable  length  in 
detailing  some  truths  and  some  falsehoods,  and  con- 
cludes in  the  following  words :  "  From  these  and 
other  circumstances,  the  belief  exists  that  said  Jona- 
than Walker  has  carried  these  slaves  off  in  his  boat. 
And  therefore,  for  his  apprehension  and  conviction  of 


60  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

said  offence,  the  subscribers  will  pay  a  further  reward 
of  one  thousand  dollars, 

"  R.  C.  Caldwell, 
Geo.  Willis,  by 

Jas.  Quigles,  Agent." 


CHAPTER  IX. 


It  may  not  be  improper  to  introduce  to  the  reader 
John  M'Kinlay,  editor  of  the  Pensacola  Gazette.  Al- 
though he  had  no  control  over  me,  yet,  as  he  had  con- 
trol over  the  only  paper  published  in  Pensacola,  it  was 
in  his  power  to  give  an  unfair  statement  of  the  circum- 
stances, which  he  did  not  fail  to  do.  But  feeling  per- 
fectly willing  to  credit  him  with  truth  when  he  utters 
it,  I  here  annex  a  paragraph  in  the  Gazette  of  July 
22d — only  remarking  that  the  last  word  is  incor- 
rect. But  unfortunately  in  the  next  number  (July  27th) 
he  crowded  into  a  part  of  a  column  of  that  small 
paper,  twenty  odd  lies  at  my  expense.  Whether  that 
libellous  statement  was  voluntary  on  the  part  of  its 
crouching  editor,  or  whether  he  was  dictated  to,  I 
know  not.     But  to  the  paragraph  : 

"  The  man  Jonathan  Walker,  who  recently  abduct- 
ed the  seven  negro  slaves  belonging  to  Messrs.  Wil- 
lis and  Caldwell,  was  captured  with  the  negroes,  in  his 
whaleboat,  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  light-boat  at 
Careyfut's  Reef,  on  the  8th  inst.  by  the  wrecking 
sloop  '  Eliza  Catherine,'  and  brought  to  Key  West  on 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  61 

the  9th.  The  negroes  are  on  board  the  sloop  Reform, 
and  are  expected  every  hour. 

"  The  U.  S.  steamer  Gen.  Taylor,  Lt.  Com.  E.  Far- 
rand,  arrived  here  last  Thursday  evening  from  Key 
West,  brought  prisoner  Walker  under  a  commitment 
from  the  civil  authority  ;  and  on  being  taken  before  the 
U.  S.  District  Judge,  the  court  being  in  session,  was 
immediately  remanded  to  prison,  on  failing  to  give  the 
necessary  bail,  to  await  his  trial  at  the  next  term  of 
the  court.  The  indignation  felt  by  this  community  on 
the  subject  of  this  outrage  is  very  great.  When  the 
prisoner  landed  on  the  wharf  the  crowd  was  immense, 
and  as  he  was  escorted  to  the  court-house  by  the 
deputy  marshal,  the  crowd  thronged  the  streets  and 
side-walks,  and  the  court-room  was  filled  to  overflow- 
ing with  a  highly  excited  mass  of  people.  Great  as 
the  excitement  was,  however,  and  aggravated  as  its 
cause,  to  the  credit  of  our  good  citizens  be  it  said,  not 
the  least  attempt  was  made  to  commit  violence  upon 
the  person  of  the  offender ;  on  the  contrary,  while  a 
few  could  not  refrain  from  openly  expressing  their 
feelings  of  resentment,  the  great  body  seemed  to  look 
upon  the  prisoner  as  a  miserable  object  of  pity.  How 
far  he  is  truly  to  be  pitied,  however,  we  are  not  pre- 
pared to  say,  for  the  Gen.  Taylor  brings  the  rumor 
from  Key  West  that  Walker  said  his  conduct  was 
rash,  but  that  he  had  done  nothing  wrong,  and  that  he 
would  do  the  same  thing  again  if  he  had  oppor- 
tunity." 

But  to  show  with  what  sacredness  he  regards  truth 
before  the  public,  I  quote  a  few  statements  made  in 
the  Gazette  of  November  23d.  After  some  prelimi- 
6 


62 


TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 


nary  remarks  and  observations  upon  my  first  trial,  lie 


says: 

"  On  the  first  of  these  indict- 
ments the  prisoner  was  arraigned 
and  plead  not  guilty.  But  before 
proceeding  to  offer  his  testimony, 
the  district  attorney,  with  a 
frankness  which  cannot  be  too 
highly  commended,  disclosed  to 
the  jury,  the  prisoner's  counsel, 
and  the  public,  that  he  held  in 
his  hand  four  indictments  against 
the  prisoner,  embracing  as  many 
distinct  offences," 

"  Several  hours  were  spent  in 
the  discussion  of  this  question, 
during  which  a  host  of  authori- 
ties were  arrayed  on  the  part  of 
the  prosecution,  to  justify  the 
course  taken  by  the  district  attor- 
ney— while,  on  the  other  hand, 
many  long  arguments  of  great 
force  were  advanced  by  the  oppo- 
site counsel," 

"  The  court  held  the  matter 
under  advisement  until  next  day, 
and  after  sleeping  on  the  point, 
gave  it  clearly  in  favor  of  the  dis- 
trict attorney. 


No  Jury  had  jet  been  empan- 
neled,  and.  no  disclosures  or  allu- 
sions were  made  to  the  public  ;, 
he  (the  district  attorney)  frankly 
stated  to  the  court  that  he  had 
four  indictments  against  the  pris- 
oner for  slave  stealing. 


Not  more  than  forty  minutes 
were  consumed  in  discussion  on 
the  subject,  and  but  two  authori- 
ties (on  cases)  were  cited  to  jus- 
tify the  course  taken  by  the  dis- 
trict attorney — so  that  all  the 
long  arguing  of  great  force  on 
the  discussion  was  done  in  less 
than  40  minutes. 

The  court  did  not  hold  the 
matter  under  advisement  until 
next  day,  for  the  whole  trial,  from 
commencement  to  end,  did  not  ex- 
ceed three  hours,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  time  consumed  by  the 
jury  on  the  last  indictments,  and 
including  that  time  the  whole 
did  not  exceed  five  hours.  (See 
first  trial.) 

Two  days  after  the  verdicts 
were  rendered  the  prisoner  was 
called,  sentenced,  &c. 


"The  day  after  the  verdicts 
were  rendered,  the  prisoner  was 
called  to  the  bar,  and  the  sen- 
tence of  the  court  pronounced 
upon  him  accordingly.  He  was 
placed  in  the  pillory,"  &c. 

I  will  notice  one  or  two  more  of  the  Gazette  man's 
editorial  displays,  and  so  leave  him  for  the  present. 

Three  days  after  the  three  last  writs  were  served 
on  me,  and  I  was  strongly  chained  in  prison,  to 
await  a  trial  four  months  hence,  the  Gazette  man 
belches  forth — "  It  is  a  matter  of  wonder  here,  that 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER,  63 

the  zeal  and  benevolence  of  Walker's  abolition  friends 
have  not  led  to  his  being  furnished  with  the  means  of 
release."  In  a  short  time  after  this,  the  proprietor  of 
the  same  paper  writes  to  a  friend  of  mine  in  Boston, 
who  made  the  inquiry  through  him  to  know  on  what 
conditions  I  could  be  released ;  and  his  reply  was, 
that  "  it  was  impossible  for  anything  to  be  done  until 
after  my  trial  at  May  court." 

Since  writing  the  foregoing,  I  have  fallen  in  with 
the  Pensacola  Gazette,  of  June  the  29th,  1844,  in  which 
an  attempt  was  made  to  tell  how  and  when  I  came 
there,  and  my  business  and  course  of  conduct  while 
there,  &c.;  but  in  that  description  they  only  succeeded 
in  getting  at  now  and  then  a  truth.  I  here  insert  a 
short  paragraph,  which  contains  most  of  the  truth  in 
the  statement : 

"  He  was  employed,  after  the  bursting  of  the  rail- 
road and  New  Town  bubble,  to  live  at  the  depot,  and 
take  care  of  the  railroad  property. — He  is  a  carpenter, 
or  boat-builder,  and  occasionally  employed  as  a 
mechanic. — He  seemed  a  very  devout  Christian,  and 
by  his  uprightness  and  integrity,  had  gained  the  con- 
fidence of  many  highly  respectable  members  of  our 
community.  Whilst  he  lived  at  the  depot,  however, 
he  had  frequent  occasions  to  have  negroes  to  work  for 
him,  and  he  associated  with  them  on  terms  of  equality 
and  intimacy — seating  them  by  himself,  at  his  table, 
while  his  daughters,  (half  grown  girls,)  waited  on  the 
table.  He  preached  to  the  negroes,  and  exhorted  them 
with  brotherly  affection,  telling  them  that  they  were 
just  as  good  as  he  was,  and  that  the  difference  of  color 
was  a  mere  shadow,  &c.     He  was  suspected  of  tarn- 


64  TRIAL   AND    IMPRISONMENT 

pering  with  the  negroes,  and  being  accessory  to  the 
concealment  on  board  of  a  vessel  and  the  escape  of 
two  slaves,  about  three  or  four  years  ago." 


CHAPTER  X. 


I  HAVE  before  stated  that  I  was  escorted  from  the 
steamboat  General  Taylor  to  the  court-house  by  the 
deputy  marshal.  Although  this  officer  had  but  little 
to  do  with  me,  yet  so  far  as  he  had  anything  to  do  with 
me,  he  manifested  a  kind  and  friendly  feeling.  Those 
who  have  never  been  in  critical  circumstances  cannot 
tell  how  sensibly  every  look,  action  and  word  is  felt 
by  one  in  my  situation.  The  name  of  this  officer  is 
James  Gonzalez,  who  is  entitled  to  my  thanks  for  his 
humane  deportment  towards  me. 

The  marshal  of  the  district,  Ebenezer  Dorr,  was 
formerly  from  the  State  of  Maine,  with  whom  I  had 
been  well  acquainted  for  eight  or  nine  years,  and  we 
had  always  been  on  terms  of  friendship;  but  now  our 
mutual  feelings  were  about  to  be  tested ;  for  circum- 
stances having  rendered  our  situations  very  different, 
there  was  no  more  equality.  He  was  a  practical 
slave-holder  and  a  strong  advocate  of  the  system ;  I  an 
uncompromising  opponent  of  American  slavery  in  all 
its  forms  ;  he  holding  a  high  office  under  the  terri- 
torial government ;  I,  a  prisoner  for  a  violation  of  the 
territorial  law,  placed  in  his  custody,  and  subject 
almost  entirely  to  his  control.     I  do  not  pretend  that 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  6|> 

our  former  acquaintance  or  friendly  intercourse  enti- 
tled me  to  any  unusual  indulgence,  or  that  he  should 
violate  any  duty,  or  deviate  from  the  path  of  justice 
to  accommodate  me,  or  ameliorate  my  condition ;  but 
I  did  suppose  that  there  should  be  some  consideration 
made  on  the  score  of  humanity,  towards  any  one  in 
so  feeble  a  state  as  I  was  at  the  time  of  my  committal, 
which  might  aid  in  the  restoration  of  health,  or  that 
would  not  tend  to  reduce  me  still  more  ;  for  the  reader 
has  already  been  informed  that  I  was  placed  in  heavy 
irons,  without  even  a  handful  of  straw  to  lie  on,  or 
anything  done  to  provide  me  with  food  suitable  for  a 
sick  person — for  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  recover 
solely  on  my  jail  fare.  Not  but  the  quantity  was 
sufficient,  but  the  quality  was  not  suitable  for  one  out 
of  health ;  and  I  deprived,  as  was  supposed,  of  what 
money  I  had  for  several  days ;  so  that  all  means  were 
thwarted  of  providing  for  myself.  But,  as  I  wish  not 
to  forget  any  favor  shown  me,  I  pass  to  his  credit  a 
bottle  of  milk  which  he  gave  me,  and  an  occasional 
call  and  inquiry  after  my  health,  and  the  loan  of  some 
newspapers,  &c. 

My  correspondence  had  to  pass  under  his  inspec- 
tion, and  for  one  or  two  words  in  a  private  letter  to 
my  wife,  respecting  my  situation,  I  received  from  him 
a  severe  reprimand.  But  suffice  it  to  say,  that  he 
might  have  made  my  situation  more  irksome,  or  he 
might  have  ameliorated  it,  w^ithout  infringing  upon 
his  official  duties.  He  permitted  George  Willis  to 
take  from  my  head  a  handkerchief,  which  his  deputy 
had  placed  there  to  keep  off  the  violence  of  the  sun, 
and  heave  rotten  eggs  at  me,  whilst  standing  in  the 
6^  5 


t!6  TRIAL    AND    IMPRISONMENT 

pillory,  without  interfering  other  than  saying,  *'  Don^t, 
Mr.  Willis,  for  we  have  got  to  take  him  into  court," — 
as  much  as  to  say,  "  he  would  appear  indecent,"  or 
"  some  one's  senses  will  be  offended." 

Walker  Anderson,  the  district  attorney,  who,  by 
the  bye,  was  the  prosecuting  officer,  is  entitled  to  my 
thanks  for  his  kindness  and  humanity  towards  me, 
both  in  his  private  and  official  capacity.  He  is  a 
mild,  considerate  and  intelligent  man ;  and  were  he 
not  surrounded  by  a  powerful  slavery  influence,  any 
society  might  be  proud  of  such  a  member.  I  have  for 
a  number  of  years  known  him,  and  can  say  that  he  is 
of  the  most  amiable  disposition  of  any  person  I  ever 
knew  in  Pensacola — notwithstanding  a  few  misstate- 
ments in  his  letter  to  the  governor  of  Florida,  in  reply 
to  a  letter  from  the  secretary  of  Massachusetts  to  that 
functionary,  which  I  may  notice  hereafter.  For  a 
considerable  part  of  my  confinement,  he  furnished  me 
with  reading  matter  and  the  news  of  the  day ;  and  in 
his  absence,  his  kind  and  amiable  wife  would  supply 
me  with  literary  food. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  make  mention  of 
George  Willis  and  Robert  C.  Caldwell,  the  claimants 
of  the  slaves  that  went  away  with  me.  George  Willis 
claims  a  high  standing  in  society,  is  considered  a  man 
of  considerable  property ;  said  to  be  the  owner  of  a 
considerable  number  of  slaves,  with  whom  he  is  very 
severe  ;  he  is  a  haughty,  overbearing  and  cruel  man, 
and  associates  with  but  few.  He  was  marshal  of  the 
west  district  of  Florida,  two  or  three  years,  whilst  I 
lived  in  Pensacola ;  during  which  time  he  had 
the  honor  of  hanging  three  or   four    colored   men. 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER. 


«^ 


From  my  previous  knowledge  of  him,  I  was  prepared 
to  expect  DO  favor  from  that  quarter,  and  had  he  been 
at  home  when  I  was  brought  back  to  Pensacola,  I 
have  no  doubt  he  would  have  sought  illegal  revenge 
upon  me ; — the  manner  in  which  he  displayed  his 
feelings  at  the  court-house,  when  undergoing  the 
penalties  of  my  first  trial,  may  be  considered  a  speci- 
men of  the  m.an. 

R.  C.  Caldwell  was  at  this  time,  a  second  lieutenant 
in  the  navy,  but  has  since  been  promoted  to  a  first 
lieutenancy.  He  is  from  the  State  of  Ohio;  and,  as 
I  have  been  credibly  informed,  had  studied  for  the 
ministry,  but  finally  entered  the  navy ;  and  two  or 
three  years  ago,  married  a  wealthy  young  woman  in 
Pensacola,  who  had  a  number  of  slaves,  and  in  this  way 
became  in  possession  of  property  and  slaves. — Thus  he 
is  year  after  year  receiving  pay  from  the  United  States 
government,  for  overseeing  his  own  or  his  wife's 
slaves.  My  first  personal  acquaintance  with  this  man 
took  place  in  the  boat  in  which  I  was  brought  from 
the  steamboat  General  Taylor  to  Pensacola,  while 
in  charge  of  the  deputy  marshal.  He  visited  me 
several  times  soon  after  my  committal,  appeared  very 
friendly  and  seemed  disposed  to  urge  upon  my  mind 
some  religious  considerations,  and  had  the  politeness 
to  bring  me  some  pound-cake,  as  he  called  it ;  but 
no  sooner  had  he  succeeded  in  getting  possession  of 
what  little  I  had  in  the  shape  of  property,  than  every 
friendly  and  social  consideration  was  abandoned,  and 
he  spared  no  pains  to  persecute  me  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability ;  and  was  still  anxious  to  gratify  his  malig- 
nant appetite  on  the  victim  of  his  rage,  to  the  very  last. 


t)b  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

With  some  reluctance,  I  introduce  to  the  reader 
Francis  Tor  ward,  the  jailer,  or  constable,  but  more 
commonly  designated  by  the  title  of  city  marshal. 
The  jail  is  the  property  of  the  city,  and  the  jailer  (city 
marshal)  is  chosen  yearly  by  a  vote  of  the  city,  and  is 
paid  a  salary  per  month.  His  duty  is  to  look  after  the 
peace  and  quiet  of  the  city ;  to  commit  and  release  all 
prisoners  ;  to  ring  the  city  bell  on  all  proper  occasions, 
especially  at  the  hours  of  8,  P.  M.,  in  winter,  and  9,  P. 
M.,  in  summer ;  and  to  take  up  all  slaves  found  in  the 
streets  without  a  pass  after  the  bell  has  been  rung,  &c. 
He  provides  the  prisoners  with  their  food  and  drink,  for 
which  he  is  allowed  37J  cents  each,  per  day.  He 
also  inflicts  punishment  upon  slaves  sent  there  by  their 
masters  or  mistresses  to  be  punished.  I  know  not 
whether  he  is  under  any  official  obligation  to  perform 
this  task,  or  whether  custom  has  made  it  a  rule.  For 
this  service,  I  believe  he  is  entitled  to  extra  pay  from 
the  persons  w^ho  employ  him  for  that  purpose.  It  is 
by  no  means  a  general  rule  for  masters  or  mistresses 
to  have  their  slaves  flogged  by  the  city  marshal,  for  it 
frequently  costs  them  some  loss  of  their  service  or 
time,  besides  what  they  have  to  pay  the  marshal ;  so 
that  but  few  are  disposed  to  incur  the  expense,  when 
they  can  save  it  by  a  few  minutes'  exertion  of  their 
own  muscular  powers,  and  at  the  same  time  feed 
their  rapacious  revenge  upon  their  helpless  slaves.  I 
am  not  prepared  to  say  what  the  compensation  is  for 
flogging,  or  whether  it  is  in  all  cases  the  same,  or 
proportioned  to  the  degree  of  infliction ;  but  I  am 
inclined  to  think  there  is  a  stipulated  price,  and  I  had 
grounds  for  the  conclusion  that  it  is  75  cents,  each 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  69 

time.  There  appears  to  be  no  amount  of  punishment 
fixed  by  any  law  or  rule,  but  the  kind  and  quantity  is 
prescribed  by  the  master  or  mistress,  as  their  feelings 
or  inclination  may  influence  them. 

Suppose  the  slave  whom  I  have  so  often  mentioned 
as  being  flogged  by  her  mistress,  had  cost  her  master 
75  cents  for  each  whipping,  the  amount  would  have 
been  about  $30  from  the  19th  July,  when  I  was  com- 
mitted, to  the  19th  February,  when  the  family  moved 
from  the  jail.  The  reader  will  have  perceived  that 
those  whippings  were  much  more  frequent  in  the  warm 
weather  than  in  the  cold,  and  also  before  her  mistress' 
confinement,  than  afterwards.  The  reader  is  at  lib- 
erty to  make  his  or  her  comments  or  conjectures  as  to 
the  cause  of  this. 

It  may  be  thought  that  those  whippings  were  of  no 
great  severity,  and  merely  administered  as  a  parent 
would  correct  a  child ;  but  to  test  the  quality  let  a 
person  be  covered  only  with  a  thin  cotton  frock,  and 
let  a  woman,  excited  to  uncontrolled  passion,  apply 
a  raw-hide  switch  to  the  back  of  the  other  with  her 
greatest  strength  from  twenty  to  fifty  blows,  and  they 
would  not  need  a  repetition  of  it  to  ascertain  its  mild- 
ness. But  some  of  those  floggings  were  applied  by  a 
more  powerful  arm  than  that  of  the  mistress ;  and  the 
marks  and  scars  were  visible  upon  the  slave's  neck 
and  face  from  the  time  I  was  first  committed  to  the 
day  of  my  release.  My  senses  have  conveyed  to  my 
heart  inexpressible  feelings  of  disgust  and  abhorrence 
for  such  a  mode  of  discipline  or  punishment  upon 
rational  human  beinsrs.      Often  when  these   exhibi- 


70  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

tions  have  taken  place,  have  I  thought  of  the  follow- 
ing lines  : 

"  Hate's  quivering  lip,  the  fix'd,  the  starting  eye, 
The  grin  of  vengeance,  and  the  forehead  pale. 
The  deep  drawn  breath,  the  short  hyena  cry, 
All  in  connection  tell  the  dreadful  tale" 
Where  cowhide,  paddle,  chains,  and  slavery  does  prevail. 

If  any  parents,  guardians  or  masters,  wish  their  child, 
minor,  or  servant,  to  hate  them  with  a  perfect  hatred, 
let  them  flog  them !  If  parents,  guardians  or  their 
masters,  wish  to  destroy  all  good  will  and  ready  obe- 
dience to  superiors,  and  all  self-respect  in  their  chil- 
dren, minors  or  servants,  let  them  flog  them,  and  they 
may  be  assured  that  they  are  in  a  fair  way  to  obtain 
that  object. 

I  was  somewhat  acquainted  with  the  jailer  before 
my  incarceration,  but  not  at  all  with  any  of  his  fam- 
ily; but  I  soon  found  that  what  St.  Paul  called  the 
weaker  vessel  was  the  stronger  vessel,  for  none  could 
carry  so  great  a  press  of  sail  as  my  hostess.  Her 
colors  were  nailed  at  mast-head,  and  all  about  the 
premises  were  to  be  controlled  by  her  undisputed 
sway. 

It  may  be  asked  what  treatment  I  received  at  their 
hands  ?  I  answer,  that  for  the  most  part  of  the  time,  it 
was  better  than  that  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  other  pris- 
oners ;  after  being  there  for  some  time,  by  some  cause 
or  other,  I  seemed  to  get  partly  into  their  good  grace, 
and  was  treated  by  her  with  perfect  civility  and  some 
degree  of  kindness ;  and  frequently  found  in  my  dish 
some  little  luxuries,  unusual,  I  presume,  for  prisoners 
to  receive  except  at  their  own  expense,  or  by  the  kind- 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  71 

ness  of  friends.  But  if  I  had  had  no  means  to  provide 
anything  for  myself,  I  should  much  of  the  time  have 
gone  hungry,  as  the  portion  given  me  which  I  could  eat, 
was  insufficient.  My  food  consisted  mostly  of  bread 
and  fish  for  breakfast,  and  bread  and  a  dish  of  soup 
or  some  calavance  beans  for  dinner.  The  bread  was 
generally  good,  made  of  flour,  and  most  of  the  time 
raised ;  and  the  rest  was  mixed  up  and  baked  in  thin 
cakes  without  raising.  I  had  the  curiosity  to  weigh 
it  for  two  weeks,  and  the  result  was  ten  pounds  seven 
ounces  for  fourteen  successive  days,  two  pounds  thir- 
teen and  one  half  ounces  of  which  was  Johnny-cake, 
or  flour  and  water  kneaded  up  and  baked  by  the  fire 
as  above.  Some  days  I  had  but  little  other  than  bread 
given  me. 

The  district  attorney  says  in  his  letter  to  Governor 
Branch,  Nov.  9th,  1844,  that  I  "  informed  him  that  I 
was  in  perfect  health,"  and  that  "  I  assured  him  that 
I  had  nothing  to  complain  of  in  the  treatment  of  the 
jailer  and  his  family."  He  should  have  said  that  I 
informed  him  that  my  health  was  as  good  as  my  sit- 
uation would  admit  of;  and  that  I  did  not  complain 
of  the  treatment  of  the  jailer  or  his  family. 

It  was  for  my  benefit  to  make  as  little  complaint  as 
possible,  and  therefore,  having  a  little  money,  I  sup- 
plied at  my  own  expense  what  was  lacking  on  their 
part,  which  amounted  to  little  more  than  a  dollar  per 
week  during  my  imprisonment,  for  food,  washing, 
and  a  little  clothing. 

The  reader  may  not  readily  understand  how  I 
ascertained  the  weight  of  the  bread  I  have  spoken  of. 
By  the  use  of  a  small  stick  and  a  little  paper  and 


7^  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

twine,  I  inade  a  balance,  and  for  weights  I  used  silver 
coin;  and  in  this  way  I  also  weighed  the  chain 
attached  to  my  leg,  by  weighing  one  link  of  medium 
size,  and  multiplying  the  others  by  that,  which  pro- 
duct was  twenty-two  and  one-half  pounds,  beside  the 
shackle  which  encircled  my  ankle. 

As  to  the  persons,  whose  names  I  have  here  been 
using,  I  have  no  inclination  to  misrepresent  or  abuse 
them,  for  I  delight  not  in  vilifying  my  fellow-crea- 
tures, but  would  far  rather  speak  well  of  them ;  and 
what  I  have  here  said,  has  been  under  a  sense  of  deep 
moral  feeling,  and  I  have  suppressed  much  that  might 
have  been  said  with  propriety,  and  in  strict  accordance 
with  truth.  But  if  any,  whose  names  I  have  here 
dealt  with,  or  may  deal  with,  can  show  in  any 
instance  where  I  have  misused  them,  I  will  hasten  to 
make  public  confession,  and  beg  their  pardon. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


I  NOW  introduce  some  correspondence,  and  the 
expressions  of  others  in  relation  to  my  case.  As  soon 
after  I  was  committed  to  prison  in  Pensacola,  as  I  was 
able  to  write,  I  sent  a  note  to  Benjamin  D.  Wright, 
counsellor  at  law,  requesting  an  interview  with  him. 
My  object  was  to  obtain  information  in  regard  to  some 
points  of  law  relating  to  my  case,  as  then  there  was  a 
probability  of  my  coming  to  a  trial  before  the  Novem- 
ber term ;  and  after  the  lapse  of  several  weeks,  I 
received  the  following  reply : 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  78 

Pensacola^  Aug,  30,  1844. 

Sir, — I  have  for  some  time  thought  I  ought  to 
answer  your  note,  handed  me  some  weeks  ago,  in 
which  you  request  me  to  call  and  see  you.  I  have 
not  called  for  reasons  which  I  will  frankly  state. 

In  common  with  all  who  know  you  as  a  citizen 
here,  I  was  very  indignant,  not  so  much  at  the  injury 
which  your  offence  occasioned,  as  at  the  insult  which 
it  implied  to  the  whole  community.  This  feeling  is 
still  strong  in  me,  but  I  feel  that  it  is  gradually  giving 
way  to  gentler  impulses. 

It  is  the  indignant  feeling  above  mentioned  that  has 
hitherto  prevented  me  from  seeing  you.  If  the  object 
of  your  note  was  to  avail  yourself  of  my  professional 
services,  I  can  only  say  that  after  thinking  the  matter 
over,  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  refuse  them,  nor  do  I 
think  that  by  the  time  the  November  court  comes  on, 
I  should  desire  to  refuse,  so  that  if  you  cannot  do 
better,  I  will  then  attend  to  your  defence. 
Yours,  &c.' 

Benjamin  D.  Wright. 

Mr.  J.  Walker. 

The  reason  of  my  requesting  an  interview  with  B. 
D.  Wright,  was,  knowing  that  he  was  a  candid  man, 
and  experienced  in  his  profession,  and  that  I  should 
be  likely  to  obtain  correct  information  from  him. 

In  a  day  or  two  after  I  wrote  to  my  family  giving 
them  a  statement  of  what  had  taken  place,  and  my 
present  condition ;  the  substance  of  which  has  been 
made  public  through  the  newspaper  press.  And  in 
due  time  I  received  several  letters  from  friends ;  from 
one  I  make  an  extract,  and  another  I  give  entire. 
7 


74  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

Hartvich,  Aug,  17tk,  1844. 

My  very  dear  suffering  friend  Jonathan ; — after 
much  concern,  we  have  had  a  letter  from  thine  own 
hand ;  the  truth  of  which  we  can  confide  in.  Thy 
family  are  all  in  health.  Some  days  after  the  news 
of  thy  capture  came,  I  went  over  to  see  thy  wife  and 
thy  parents,  and  they  expressed  much  concern  about 
thee.  I  mentioned  to  them  the  well-known  passage 
of  Scripture :  "  if  ye  suffer  for  righteousness,  happy 
are  ye,"  &c.  "  Be  not  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither 
be  troubled,  but  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts." 

At  a  meeting,  on  the  first  day  of  August,  we  made 
a  small  collection  for  thy  family.  We  also  chose  a 
committee  to  see  to  thy  family.  It  was  a  consolation 
to  many,  to  have  a  letter  from  thee ;  many  sympathize 
with  thee.  I  think  I  can  see  the  good  hand  of  God 
with  you,  in  chastening  and  afflicting  you.  I  rejoice 
to  see  thy  integrity  and  thy  confidence  in  Christ ;  thy 
believing  that  he  has  stood  by  thee,  and  that  thou 
canst  not  part  with  him  !  Yea,  let  everything  else  go 
first !  Yea,  let  life  go  before  Him.  Jesus  says,  "  he 
came  not  to  do  his  own  will,  but  the  will  of  his  Father 
that  sent  him  ! "  and  he  has  left  us  an  example  that  we 
should  walk  in  his  steps ;  "  for  he  that  hath  suffered 
in  the  flesh,  hath  ceased  from  sin."  When  liberty, 
truth  and  right,  has  been  trampled  upon  for  a  long 
time;  the  authority,  law,  and  government  of  God 
been  disregarded ;  human  inventions  set  up  ;  the  laws, 
usages,  and  customs  of  men  been  considered  para- 
mount  to  the  will,  law,  or  government  of  God,  it  will, 
surely,  cost  more  or  less  suffering  to  make  a  change. 

E.   NlCKEHSON, 


OF    JONATHAN   WALKER.  75 

In  a  subsequent  letter  the  same  person  says,  "  My 
dear  brother,  you  have  a  glorious  trial ;  make  a  right 
use  of  it." 

Harwich,  Aug,  20,  1844. 
Capt.  J.  Walker  : 

Dear  Sir, — When  your  condition  became  known 
here,  a  good  deal  of  interest  was  excited  in  your 
behalf.  A  meeting  of  the  citizens  was  held  at  the 
congregational  meeting-house  yesterday,  (19th,)  agree- 
ably to  previous  notice,  to  take  into  consideration  your 
case  ;  and  the  undersigned  were  made  a  committee  to 
ascertain  through  you,  your  friends,  or  the  authorities 
of  Pensacola,  in  what  way,  if  at  all,  your  condition 
may  be  ameliorated. 

We  learn  that  you  were  committed  to  prison  for 
want  of  bail ;  and  we  wish  to  know  whether  you 
would  be  now  released  from  confinement  if  the  neces- 
sary bail  should  be  obtained  ?  Do  you  wish  for  bail  ? 
or  had  you  rather  remain  confined  until  your  trial  ? 
Have  you  any  counsel  ?  And  if  not,  do  you  wish  for 
any  ?  And  if  so,  have  you  the  means  of  employing 
counsel  ?  Or  does  the  government  furnish  counsel  for 
you  ?  You  state  in  your  letter  that  you  are  chained 
so  that  you  cannot  walk  your  room.  This  we  cannot 
but  regret ;  as  we  know  that  a  little  exercise  would 
afford  you  much  relief,  and  we  trust  that  the  humanity 
of  those  who  have  you  in  keeping,  will  prompt  them 
to  afford  you  some  relief  in  this  particular.  Is  the 
room  in  which  you  are  confined,  so  ventilated  that 
you  can  have  a  supply  of  fresh  air  ?  Are  you  con- 
fined alone,  or  are  there  others  in  the  room  with  you  ? 


76  TRIAL    AND   IMPRISONMENT 

if  SO,  how  many  ?  Will  there  be  a  special  court  for 
your  trial,  or  shall  you  wait  till  the  regular  term  in 
November  ?  An  early  answer  to  the  above  inquiries, 
or  so  many  of  them  as  may  be  of  importance  to  you, 
is  desired. 

From  our  long  acquaintance  with  you,  we  are 
assured,  that  the  act  for  which  you  have  been  arrested, 
and  are  now  suffering,  was  done  under  a  high  sense 
of  moral  obligation.  How  far  that  sense  has  been 
mistaken,  is  not  for  us  to  determine.  We  can  only 
regret  the  occurrence;  leaving  the  adjustment  of  its 
morality  between  you  and  your  own  conscience. 

Have  you  a  comfortable  supply  of  good  and  whole- 
some food  ?  Is  there  any  way  in  which  we  can  be  of 
any  service  to  you  ?  If  so,  inform  us,  and  our  efforts 
to  render  your  condition  more  comfortable  shall  not  be 
wanting. 

Sidney  Underwood. 

Elkanah  Nickerson,  Jr. 

I  prefix  here  a  copy  of  three  official  letters ;  the 
first  written  by  John  G.  Palfrey,  Secretary  of  the  State 
of  Massachusetts  to  the  Governor  of  Florida;  the 
second  by  Governor  Branch,  of  Florida,  to  Walker 
Anderson,  District  Attorney  for  the  Western  District 
of  West  Florida ;  the  third  by  Walker  Anderson, 
in  reply  to  the  two  first. 

Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  ^ 
Secretary'' s  Office,  Boston,      > 
October  2nd,  1844.  S 
Sir, — I  have  it  in  charge  from  the  Governor  of  this 
Commonwealth,  respectfully  to  ask  your  Excellency's 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  77 

attention  to  the  case  of  Jonathan  Walker,  a  citizen  of 
Massachusetts,  said  to  be  now  in  prison  in  Pensacola, 
in  the  Territory  of  Florida,  awaiting  his  trial  on  a 
charge  of  abducting  certain  slaves  from  that  terri- 
tory. 

It  is  represented  to  the  Governor,  by  respectable 
persons,  that  the  confinement  of  said  Walker  is 
attended  with  circumstances  of  unusual  hardship : 
that,  in  a  feeble  state  of  health,  he  is  loaded  with 
heavy  irons,  and  suffering  from  other  severe  treat- 
ment, unnecessary  for  his  safe  keeping  and  endanger- 
ing his  life.  It  is  further  alleged  that  his  friends  are 
confident  of  his  having  a  good  legal  defence  against  the 
charge  for  which  he  stands  committed,  but  that  they 
need  time  to  take  the  proper  steps  for  his  vindication, 
he  being  a  poor  man,  the  head  of  a  numerous  family 
dependent  upon  his  labor,  and  unable  to  command  the 
necessary  professional  aid,  without  assistance,  which 
cannot  be  immediately  obtained.  And  the  Executive 
of  this  Commonwealth  is  invoked  to  interest  itself  in 
any  manner  consistent  with  its  constitutional  obliga- 
tions, to  obtain  a  mitigation  of  the  hardships  which  he 
is  said  to  be  enduring,  and  such  a  delay  of  proceed- 
ings as  may  afford  opportunity  for  securing  that  high- 
est object  of  justice,  safety  to  the  innocent. 

The  Governor  feels  it  to  be  due  to  the  importance 
of  the  occasion,  as  well  as  to  the  high  respectability 
of  the  sources  whence  these  representations  proceed, 
and  to  the  sensibility  which  exists  upon  the  subject, 
among  the  good  people  of  this  Commonwealth,  to 
apprize  your  Excellency  of  the  circumstances,  as  they 
are  reported  to  him,  and  respectfully  request  such 
7# 


76  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

exertion  of  influence  or  authority,  on  your  part,  as 
official  obligations  may  permit,  and  the  claims  of  jus- 
tice and  humanity  may  dictate,  to  prevent  the  exercise 
of  needless  severities  in  this  case  by  subordinate  offi- 
cers, and  to  cause  the  legal  proceedings  to  be  delayed 
for  a  sufficient  time  to  afford  the  accused  party  every 
reasonable  advantage  for  establishing  his  innocence. 
I  am  accordingly  directed,  respectfully  to  request  your 
Excellency  to  cause  this  prosecution  to  be  stayed  long 
enough  to  admit  of  arrangements  being  made  to  obtain 
for  said  Jonathan  Walker,  such  able  and  effectual 
assistance  as  may  enable  him  to  maintain  his  rights 
before  the  tribunals  of  his  country.  And  I  am  further 
instructed  to  request  that  your  Excellency  will  be 
pleased  to  take  care  that  he  may  be  relieved  from  any 
illegal  or  unusual  severity  in  the  manner  of  his  con- 
finement. 

Assured  that  your  Excellency  will  estimate  justly 
the  solicitude  on  the  part  of  the  Governor  of  this  Com- 
monwealth, for  the  safety  of  its  helpless  citizens,  which 
dictates  this  communication,  I  have  the  honor  to  sub- 
scribe myself,  Most  respectfully, 
Your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

John  G.  Palfrey,  Secretary, 
To  his  Excellency,  the  Governor  of  Florida. 

Executive  Office,  October  25th,  1844. 
My  Dear  Sir, — I  herewith  transmit  to  you  a  copy 
of  a  somewhat  extraordinary  communication  which  I 
have  received  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Common- 
wealth of  Massachusetts.  I  have  not,  and  probably 
may  not  take  any  official  notice  of  it,  for  reasons  which 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  79 

will  readily  occur  to  you.  You  are,  however,  at  lib- 
erty to  make  such  use  of  it  as  you  may  think  proper ; 
as  I  have  entire  confidence  in  your  discretion  and 
ability  to  do  justice  to  a  subject  which  seems  to  excite 
the  sensibility  of  the  good  people  of  that  Common- 
wealth, and  which  cannot  be  one  of  indifference  to  the 
southern  slave-holder. 

With  the  highest  respect  and  esteem, 
I  am  yours  truly, 

John  Branch. 
To  Walker  Anderson,  U.  S.  Att'y  for  West  Florida. 

Office  of  the  Attorney  of  the  U.  S.  for  West  Florida, 
Fen^acola^  November  9th,  1844. 

Sir, — On  my  return  a  few  days  since  from  Walton 
Court,  I  found  your  Excellency's  letter  of  the  25th 
October,  enclosing  a  copy  of  a  communication  to  your- 
self from  the  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, on  the  subject  of  Jonathan  Walker,  now  in 
prison  here,  awaiting  his  trial  on  a  charge  of  negro 
stealing. 

Though  I  have  kept  myself  informed,  generally,  as 
to  Walker's  condition  in  prison  ever  since  his  arrest,  1 
have  taken  pains  since  the  receipt  of  your  letter,  to 
procure  more  precise  information  on  the  subject,  both 
from  himself  and  from  the  officers  who  have  had  him 
in  charge,  and  I  am  happy  to  inform  your  Excellency, 
that  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts  has  been  entirely 
misled  by  the  "  respectable  persons"  who  have  repre- 
sented to  him,  "  that  the  confinement  of  said  Walket 
is  attended  with  circumstances  of  unusual  hardship, 
and  that  in  a  feeble  state  of  health,  he  is  loaded  with 


OU  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

heavy  irons,  and  suffering  from  other  severe  treatmen 
unnecessary  for  his  safe  keeping,  and  endangering  his 
life." 

When  he  was  committed,  he  was  in  very  feeble 
health,  resulting  from  his  long  exposure  at  sea  in  an 
open  boat ;  but  notwithstanding  his  confinement,  his 
health  has  gradually  ameliorated  until  the  present 
moment,  when,  as  he  informs  me,  and  as  he  looks  to 
be,  he  is  in  perfect  health.  He  assures  ine  that  there 
is  nothing  he  has  to  complain  of  in  the  treatment  of 
the  jailer  and  his  family  towards  him,  and  that  his 
prison  fare  has  been  satisfactory  to  him,  except  that  for 
a  short  time  after  his  arrest,  his  feeble  health  made  his 
ordinary  fare  distasteful  to  him  ;  but  that  he  was  soon 
able  to  supply  himself  with  such  things  as  he  wished. 

It  is  true  that  he  has  been  confined  with  a  single 
chain  around  his  ankle,  but  this  was  not  regarded  as 
"  unnecessary  to  his  safe  keeping,"  nor  as  being  a 
"  circumstance  of  unusual  hardship."  The  crime 
with  which  he  is  charged  is  characterized  by  our  law 
as  a  very  grave  one,  and  the  executive  officers  of  our 
court  have  looked  to  that  law  for  their  guidance, 
rather  than  to  the  opinions  of  those  to  whonv  they  at 
least  owe  no  accountability.  Their  duty  required 
them  to  keep  their  prisoner  securely,  and  I  think  I 
may  assure  your  Excellency,  that  in  performing  this 
duty  they  have  in  no  degree  violated  the  dictates  of 
humanity,  or  infringed  any  of  the  rights  of  the  unfor- 
tunate man. 

I  trust  that  these  representations,  when  conveyed  by 
your  Excellency  to  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts, 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  81' 

may  allay  "  the  sensibility  which  exists  upon  the  sub- 
ject among  the  good  people  of  that  Commonwealth." 

The  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  proceeds  to 
say,  "  I  am  directed  to  request  your  Excellency  to 
cause  his  prosecution  to  be  stayed  long  enough  to 
admit  of  arrangements  being  made  to  obtain  for  said 
Jonathan  Walker  such  able  and  effectual  assistance  as 
may  enable  him  to  maintain  his  rights  before  the  tri- 
bunals of  his  country."  There  is  no  disposition,  lam 
sure,  in  any  of  the  officers  of  this  court  to  press  this 
trial  with  unusual  precipitancy,  but  on  the  contrary, 
there  is  a  sincere  desire  to  do  justice,  and  no  more 
than  justice,  to  the  accused  ;  and  I  may  add  that  there 
prevails  a  wish  to  receive  with  due  respect,  the  inter- 
position of  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts  in  his 
behalf;  but  T  apprehend  to  postpone  the  trial  indefi- 
nitely, and  thereby  prolong  a  confinement  considered 
so  irksome,  could  scarcely  be  yielded  with  propriety 
to  the  request  of  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  if 
opposed  to  the  wishes  of  the  prisoner  himself.  He 
has  a  right  to  demand  his  immediate  trial,  and  I  have 
been  assured  by  him  only  to-day  that  he  is  anxious 
that  his  case  should  be  disposed  of  during  the  present 
term  of  the  court.  This  desire  of  his,  so  natural  in 
itself,  we  shall  feel  bound  to  regard  as  paramount  in 
its  claim  upon  us,  to  the  wishes  of  his  friends  abroad 
— to  say  nothing  of  his  right  to  enforce  it.  I  trtist, 
therefore,  that  his  Excellency  of  Massachusetts  will 
perceive  that  we  are  prevented  from  complying  with 
his  request  by  the  superior  duty  of  yielding  to  the 
wishes  of  the  prisoner  in  this  regard. 

Walker  has  expressed  a  wish  that  his  trial  should 

6 


82  TRIAL    AND    IMPRISONMENT 

be  postponed  to  as  late  a  period  of  the  term  as  practi 
cable,  and  it  has  accordingly  been  fixed  for  the  second 
week  of  the  term,  and  I  doubt  not  it  will  be  put  off  to 
a  still  later  period  of  the  term,  if  the  prisoner  should 
show  good  cause  therefor. 

I  deem  it  scarcely  necessary  to  assure  your  Excel- 
lency that  the  delay  so  earnestly  pressed  upon  your 
Excellency  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  of 
Massachusetts,  is  not  indispensable  "  to  obtain  for 
Walker  such  able  and  effectual  assistance  as  may  en- 
able him  to  maintain  his  rights  before  the  tribunals  of 
his  country."  Counsel  is  within  his  reach  here,  fully 
competent  to  the  task  of  maintaining  his  rights  any- 
where, and  your  Excellency,  I  am  sure,  anticipates  me, 
in  the  assurance  that  his  poverty  will  oppose  no  ob- 
stacle to  his  procuring  the  aid  of  such  counsel. 
I  remain,  Sir,  with  much  respect, 

Your  Excellency's  ob't  serv't, 

Walker  Anderson. 
TJ.  S.  Atfy.  for  West  Florida. 
To  his  Excellency,  John  Branch, 

Governor  of  Florida^  Tallahassee. 

Through  the  kindness  of  a  friend  in  New  York,  I 
received  the  following  resolution  and  the  annexed 
epistle,  just  two  months  from  its  adoption.  But  the 
original  paper,  with  some  others,  was  wrested  by  force 
from  me,  and  laid  before  a  committee  of  the  legislative 
council  of  the  Territory  of  Florida,  for  their  action, 
which  report  I  place  below.  By  some  exertion  I  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  all  the  papers  except  the  one  of 
which  I  place  a  copy  here. 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  83 

British  and  Foreign  Anti- Slavery  Society,  for   the 

Abolition  of  Slavery  and  the  Slave  trade  through 

out  the  world, 

27  ISew  Broad  street^  London. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Anti- 
Slavery  Society,  held  at  27  New  Broad  street,  on 
Friday,  October  4,  1844,  George  Stacy,  Esq.,  in  the 
chair,  it  was  resolved  unanimously, 

That,  considering  the  enormous  wickedness  of 
American  Slavery,  whether  viewed  in  relation  to  the 
iniquity  of  its  principle,  which  deprives  nearly  three 
millions  of  human  beings  of  their  personal  rights,  or 
to  the  atrocity  of  its  practice,  which  subjects  them  to 
the  deepest  degradation  and  misery ;  this  committee 
feel  it  to  be  their  duty,  publicly  and  warmly,  to  ex- 
press their  sympathy  with  those  devoted  friends  of  hu- 
manity, the  Rev.  Charles  T.  Torrey  and  Captain  Jona- 
than Walker — who  are  now  incarcerated  in  the  prisons 
of  Maryland  and  West  Florida,  for  having  aided  or 
attempted  to  aid  some  of  their  countrymen  in  their 
escape  from  bondage ;  and  to  assure  those  Christian 
philanthropists  that  they  consider  the  cause  for  which 
they  may  hereafter  be  called  to  suffer,  honorable  to 
them  as  men  and  as  Christians  ;  and  the  laws  under 
which  they  are  to  be  arraigned,  as  utterly  disgraceful 
to  a  civilized  community,  and  in  the  highest  degree 
repugnant  to  the  spirit  and  precepts  of  the  gospel. 
On  behalf  of  the  committee, 

Thomas  CLARKsoN,Pre5^^c7^^ 

John  S coble.  Secretary, 
To  Capt.  Jonathan  Walker. 

October  8,  1844. 


84  TRIAL   AND    IMPRISONMENT 

27  New  Broad  street.  London, 

Dear  Sir— ^The  painful  circumstances  in  which 
you  have  been  placed  by  your  humane  and  Christian 
attempt  to  deliver  some  of  your  fellow- men  from  the 
sufferings  and  degradation  of  slavery,  are  not,  as  you 
will  perceive  by  the  accompanying  resolution,  un- 
known to  the  Abolitionists  in  Great  Britain. 

They  truly  sympathize  with  you  in  your  affliction, 
and  they  trust  that  the  efforts  which  are  to  be  made 
for  your  deliverance  from  the  power  of  evil  men  and 
evil  laws,  will  be  succeeded  by  the  divine  blessing. 

Your  faith  and  patience  may  be  greatly  tried,  but  I 
trust  you  will  be  divinely  sustained  through  the  con- 
flict, and  that  you  will  have  a  large  share  in  the 
prayers,  as  well  as  in  the  sympathies  and  assistance 
of  your  friends. 

Trusting  that  you  will  meet  with  becoming  forti- 
tude your  approaching  trial,  and  that  whatever  may  be 
its  issue,  you  may  find  the  ''  joy  of  the  Lord  to  be 
your  strength," 

I  am,  dear  sir,  with  great  respect  and  esteem. 

Yours  very  truly, 
John  Scoble,  Secretary, 

To  Capt.  Jonathan  Walker. 

TO   THE    COMMITTEE    OF   THE  BRITISH   AND   FOREIGN 
ANTI-SLAVERY    SOCIETY,  LONDON. 

New  York  City,  July  I2tk,  1845. 
Very  kind  and  highly  esteemed  friends  : 

I  arrived  this  day  in  this  city,  and  embrace  the  ear- 
liest convenient  opportunity  to  acknowledge  the  recep- 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  85 

tion  of  the  kind  letter  of  your  worthy  secretary,  John 
Scoble,  and  the  accompanying  resolution  adopted  at 
your  meeting  in  London,  on  the  4th  of  October,  1844, 
expressive  of  your  opinion  of,  and  feelings  towards 
Charles  T.  Torrey  and  myself.  The  letter  was  for- 
warded through  the  kindness  of  a  friend  in  New 
York,  and  reached  me  just  two  months  after  its  date. 
But  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  express  upon  paper  the 
feelings  which  the  reception  of  the  letter  and  resolu- 
tion excited. 

I  am  an  American-born  citizen,  and  have  lived 
forty-five  years  under  this  republican  form  of  gov- 
ernment, but  I  am  ashamed  to  acknowledge  that, 
while  enjoying  the  greatest  social  and  religious  priv- 
ileges of  any  nation  upon  the  earth,  boasting  of  our  lib- 
eral and  free  institutions,  of  the  inherent  right  of  all  men 
to  "  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,"  of  our 
arts  and  sciences,  civilization,  and  the  dispensation  of 
the  gospel ;  yet  we  cherish  in  our  midst  the  most 
heinous,  unjust,  oppressive,  and  God-provoking  sys- 
tem that  ever  cursed  the  dwellers  of  earth,  nourishing 
jealousy  and  discord  through  the  land,  poisoning  the 
life-streams  of  our  Union,  corroding  the  vitals  of  this 
young  and  growing  nation,  and  destroying  the  mental 
and  moral  faculties  of  one  portion  of  its  inhabitants,  to 
corrupt  and  debase  the  other ;  and  if  any  one  is  found 
among  her  sons  whose  humane  feelings  prompt  him 
to  extend  an  act  of  sympathy  towards  his  deeply  in- 
jured fellow-subjects — who  have  nowhere  to  look  with 
any  earthly  hope  for  the  mitigation  of  their  wretched- 
ness, but  in  the  hearts  of  the  few,  and  are  denied  the 
privilege  of  seeking  redress  from  the  laws  and  coun- 
8 


86  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

sels  of  their  country — such  an  one  is  sought  out  and 
hunted  like  a  beast  of  prey,  and  dealt  with  as  a  traitor 
to  his  country,  and  as  a  slayer  of  his  fellow-men ;  and 
this,  notwithstanding  every  precaution  has  been  used 
to  prevent  any  act  of  violence  on  the  part  of  the  truly 
^vronged,  and  none  but  pacific  means  are  countenanced 
to  obtain  relief. 

While  my  mind  has  been  filled  with  such  consider- 
ations, and  while  undergoing  the  most  degrading  pun- 
ishments that  human  invention  has  produced,  from  the 
hands  of  my  own  countrymen,  I  receive  from  a  high 
and  honorable  source  in  a  foreign  and  monarchical 
country,  the  warm  and  cordial  sympathies,  and  favor- 
able consideration  and  approbation  of  the  cause  for 
which  I  suffer,  and  detestation  of  the  course  pursued 
against  me,  from  entire  strangers,  whom  I  never  saw, 
and  probably  never  shall  see  this  side  of  another 
world. 

I  heartily  respond,  gentlemen,  to  the  declaration  in 
the  last  clause  of  the  resolution  which  you  adopted, 
that  "  the  laws  under  which  we  were  to  be  arraigned 
are  utterly  disgraceful  to  a  civilized  community,  and 
in  the  highest  degree  repugnant  to  the  spirit  and  pre- 
cepts of  the  gospeV 

You  are  probably  aware  ere  this  of  the  result  of  my 
first  trial  in  November  last,  under  four  indictments. 
Since  that  time  I  have  been  detained  in  prison  until 
the  16th  of  June,  when,  after  having  undergone  a 
second  trial,  on  the  9th.  of  May,  under  three  indict- 
ments, I  was  released  by  the  liberality  of  friends, 
in  paying  the  fines  and  costs  of  prosecution,  which 
were  charged  against  me.     With  the  exception  of  two 


OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  87 

and  a  half  months,  I  was  kept  in  chains  during  the 
whole  of  my  imprisonment. 

Let  me  assure  you  again,  my  dear  friends,  of  my 
gratitude  for  your  kind  and  humane  consideration.  It 
is  a  source  of  deep  regret  to  me  that  the  original  letter 
and  resolution  were  taken  from  me  while  in  prison  by 
the  authorities,  but  not  however  till  I  had  secured  a 
copy  of  each,  which  I  hold  invaluable.  They  were 
laid  before  the  legislative  council  of  Florida,  and  a 
report  made  thereon,  a  copy  of  which  I  enclose. 

Trusting  that  all  needful  blessings  from  our  divine 
Lord  may  attend  you  individually  and  collectively  in 
all  coming  time,  and  enable  you  to  accomplish  much 
in  the  righteous  cause  you  have  espoused  for  the 
amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  deeply-injured  and 
oppressed  children  of  men, 

I  remain,  respectfully,  your  grateful  friend, 
Jonathan  Walker. 

report  of  the  legislative  council  of  florida. 

Mr.  Ferguson,  from  a  joint  select  committee,  made 
the  following  report : 

The  joint  select  committee,  to  which  was  referred 
the  governor's  communication  in  relation  to  the  cor- 
respondence of  the  British  and  Foreign  Anti- Slavery 
Society  with  Jonathan  Walker,  with  the  accompany- 
ing papers,  beg  leave  to  report : 

That  they  regard  the  right  of  defining  crimes  and 
passing  laws  to  prevent  or  punish  such  crimes,  as 
amongst  the  clearest  and  most  valuable  rights  of  a  free 
people,  and  the  interference  of  foreign  states  with  the 
exercise  of  that  right,- as  insulting  and  unwarrantable, 


CSS  TRIAL   AND    IMPRISONMENT 

and  that  it  should  be  repelled  promptly  and  indig- 
nantly. 

This  principle,  so  undeniable  in  the  abstract,  ac- 
quires additional  interest  and  importance  from  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  particular  case  to  which  the  duty  of 
the  committee  has  directed  its  attention.  It  can  no 
longer  be  denied  that  systematic  and  powerful  influ- 
ences are  at  work  throughout  a  large  portion  of  Eu- 
rope and  many  parts  of  our  own  country,  the  direct 
tendency  of  which  is  to  impair  our  rights  of  property, 
and  to  involve  ourselves  and  the  unconscious  objects 
of  this  false  philanthropy  in  one  common  ruin.  A 
vicious  fanaticism,  clothed  in  the  garb  of  religion,  is 
prowling  around  our  borders,  and  by  means  of  its  more 
reckless  and  abandoned  instruments,  invading  our  in- 
most sanctuaries,  whose  direct  purposes,  scarcely  con- 
cealed, are  to  deluge  our  very  hearth-stones  in  blood, 
and  to  rear  an  altar  to  its  false  principles  upon  the 
ruin  of  all  that  is  precious  to  us  as  freemen  and  dear 
to  us  as  men. 

The  most  sanguine  and  forbearing  amongst  us  must 
long  since  have  been  painfully  convinced  of  the  exist- 
ence of  this  unfriendly  feeling  towards  us  among 
some  of  our  own  countrymen;  and  the  public  mind 
throughout  the  whole  of  the  Southern  States  has  been 
roused  to  a  state  of  distrust  and  watchfulness,  which 
augurs  ill  for  that  harmony  which  is  becoming  be- 
tween members  of  the  same  great  family.  The  South 
has  no  cause  for  self-reproach,  growing  out  of  this 
feeling  of  estrangement.  Their  position  has  been 
eminently  that  of  self-defence ;  and  they  are  prompted 
to  maintain  that  position  by  every  consideration  of 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  Oy 

duty  and  of  self-interest.  They  would  be  recreant  to 
themselves,  and  unworthy  of  the  rank  which  they  hold 
among  the  nations,  if  they  were  to  falter  in  the  asser- 
tion of  their  rights  and  their  resistance  of  this  foul 
injustice. 

In  the  unhappy  dissensions  which  have  grown  up 
between  ourselves  and  our  countrymen  of  the  North, 
there  are,  however,  considerations  j)rompting  us  to  still 
longer  forbearance.  It  is  not  easy  to  forget  that  we 
are  brothers,  enjoying  the  same  great  heritage  of  lib- 
erty which  was  purchased  by  the  blood  of  our  common 
sires.  We  are  reluctant  to  let  go  our  confidence  in 
the  returning  sense  of  justice  of  those  who  are  bound 
to  us  by  such  endearing  ties,  and  we  will  not  willingly 
dissever  from  our  soil  the  blood-honored  fields  of  Lex- 
ington, of  Bunker  Hill,  and  of  Saratoga— we  will  ''suffer 
long  and  be  kind  " — will  bear  many  things,  hope  many 
things,  and  endure  many  things.  And  we  do  this  the 
more  readily  because  there  is  no  hesitation  amongst 
us  as  to  the  limits  of  this  endurance.  Among  the 
millions  of  bosoms  that  are  throbbing  under  a  sense  of 
the  injury  and  outrage  which  have  been  so  wantonly 
inflicted  upon  us  by  our  Northern  brethren,  though 
there  are  many  that  plead  for  longer  forbearance  and 
forgiveness,  there  is  probably  not  one  that  does  not 
feel  that  there  is  a  point  beyond  which  forbearance 
would  be  ruin  and  dishonor — there  is  not  one  that 
would  not  unhesitatingly  fling  to  the  winds  all  the 
cherished  recollections  of  the  past,  and  all  the  exulting 
hopes  of  the  future,  rather  than  bow  down  in  slavish 
abasement  to  the  demands  of  those  who  seek  to  sacri- 
fice us  upon  the  shrine  of  their  unholy  fanaticism. 


90  TRIAL    AIND    IMPRISONMENT 

But  the  feelings  which  thus  prompt  us  to  forbearance 
under  the  injuries  done  to  us  by  the  abolition  incen- 
diaries of  the  North,  teach  no  such  forbearance  towards 
the  foreign  incendiaries,  who  intermeddle  with  our 
domestic  institutions,  and  seek  to  interfere  with  the 
administration  of  our  laws.  We  regard  their  false 
and  intrusive  philanthropy  with  unmingled  resentment, 
and  it  becomes  us  to  resist  at  once,  and  in  the  most 
effectual  manner,  all  their  efforts  to  control  us  in 
our  internal  police.  The  committee  regret  that  the 
only  means  which  are  within  our  reach  to  counteract 
their  hostile  designs,  and  to  avert  danger  from  our- 
selves, consist  of  increased  penalties  for  the  violation 
of  our  laws,  and  in  stricter  police  arrangements  in 
regard  to  the  negro  population.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  the  punishment  for  such  flagrant  crimes  should 
fall  rather  upon  the  less  responsible  agent,  who  is 
induced  by  a  desire  of  gain  or  by  an  ignorant  fanati- 
cism to  come  among  us  on  his  unholy  crusade,  than 
on  the  more  wicked  and  intelligent  felon,  who  plots 
his  cowardly  schemes  of  mischief  in  the  security  of  a 
foreign  country  and  still  more  is  it  to  be  regretted 
that  we  are  constrained,  in  self-defence,  to  cut  off  som.e 
of  those  indulgences  to  our  Slaves,  which  has  made 
their  situation  hitherto  one  of  happy  contentedness. 

But  the  responsibility  is  not  with  us.  Heavy  is  the 
accountability  of  the  Abolitionists,  both  in  Europe  and 
at  the  North,  not  so  much  for  the  happiness  and  har- 
mony of  a  great  nation,  which  he  has  disturbed  and 
perilled  by  his  ignorant  arid  wicked  intermeddling 
with  the  affairs  of  which  he  knows  but  little,  as  for 
the  new  burdens  which  he  has  imposed  on  the  slave, 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  M 

and  the  new  obstacles  which  he  has  interposed  to  the 
gradual  amelioration  and  improvement  of  his  condi- 
tion. 

Self-protection  is  the  primary  law,  and  we  shall 
stand  justified,  in  the  eyes  of  God  and  of  man,  in 
defending  ourselves  from  unjust  aggressions,  though 
the  means  of  safety  may  bring  punishment  and  suffer- 
ing where  it  is  not  most  deserved. 

The  crime  of  negro-stealing  has  heretofore  been 
punished  by  our  laws  with  exceeding  leniency,  and  in 
the  very  striking  case  to  which  the  attention  of  the 
committee  is  now  directed,  where  the  offence  was 
flagrant,  and  the  evidence  conclusive,  the  punishment 
of  the  guilty  man  was  so  slight  as  to  prove  that,  here- 
tofore, in  punishing  this  crime,  we  have  not  in  any 
degree  been  moved  by  undue  resentment.  Hencefor- 
ward we  are  compelled  to  regard  negro-stealing,  by  the 
instruments  of  the  abolitionists,  as  a  crime  of  a  differ- 
ent character.  It  is  no  longer  a  mere  larceny,  but  a 
species  of  treason  against  the  State — a  direct  assault 
upon  the  very  existence  of  our  institutions.  The 
negro-stealer,  too,  is  now  armed  with  new  powers ; 
he  is  upheld,  encouraged,  aided,  and  almost  canonized 
by  men  in  high  places,  whose  commendation  and  sym- 
pathy inspire  new  vigor  and  fresh  perseverance.  The 
thief  is  taught  to  regard  himself  as  an  agent  in  the 
hand  of  Providence,  and  he  encounters  danger  with 
the  spirit  of  a  martyr.  Slight  punishments  will  not 
deter  him  from  renewed  offences ;  for  he  is  taught  to 
believe  that  his  sufferings  excite  the  sympathies,  and 
bring  down  upon  his  head  the  blessings  and  the  pray- 
ers of  the  Christian  world. 


S6  TRIAL    AND    IMPRISONMENT 

In  obedience,  then,  to  the  rule  which  requires  that 
the  punishment  of  an  offence  should  be  commensurate 
with  the  difficulty  of  preventing  it,  as  well  as  its  enor- 
mity, the  committee  feel  constrained  to  recommend 
that  the  crime  of  negro-stealing,  and  of  aiding  and 
abetting  negro-stealing,  be  made  punishable  here- 
after by  death.  They  make  this  recommendation 
not  lightly,  but  with  a  deep  and  impressive  sense  of 
the  responsibility  which  they  assume  ;  but  they  feel 
that  the  responsibility,  in  its  heaviest  extent,  rests 
elsewhere.  They  believe  that  such  a  law  is  necessary 
to  the  safety  of  the  country  in  the  new  aspect  in  which 
this  crime  must  now  be  regarded  ;  and  if  blood  be  the 
penalty  which  the  negro-stealer  has  to  pay  for  his 
crime,  it  will  be  upon  the  skirts  of  those  whose  excite- 
ments and  applause  have  driven  him  to  his  doom. 

As  there  is  a  bill  now  before  the  Senate  making 
negro-stealing  punishable  with  death,  the  committee 
content  themselves  on  this  head  with  earnestly  recom- 
mending its  enactment  into  a  law. 

Some  of  the  circumstances  developed  in  this  case  of 
Jonathan  Walker  have  satisfied  the  committee  that 
there  are  evil-disposed  persons  amongst  us  who  per- 
mit themselves  to  be  made  channels  of  intercourse 
between  the  convicted  felons  in  our  prisons  and  their 
accomplices  abroad,  and  in  other  ways  lend  their  aid 
to  the  dissemination  of  unsound  and  dangerous  doc- 
trines on  the  subject  of  slavery.  Towards  such  offend- 
ers the  law  should  be  unsparing  in  its  penalties.  To 
punish  such  of  this  class  as  are  found  among  us  with 
sufficient  severity,  and  exclude  those  who  may  be  offi- 
ciously intruded  upon  us,  its  most  solemn  sanction 


OF   JONATHAN    WALKER.  93 

should  be  invoked  ;  but  the  committee  apprehend  that 
while  we  remain  in  a  territorial  government  some 
embarrassment  might  arise  in  the  enforcement  of 
police  laws  adequate  in  their  rigor  to  the  suppression 
of  the  mischief;  and  as  we  are  about  to  assume,  under 
the  blessing  of  God,  the  privileges  and  the  powers  of 
a  free  sovereign  State,  the  committee  recommend 
that  this  subject,  together  with  that  of  new  police  regu- 
lations, with  regard  to  the  slaves  themselves,  be  post- 
poned till  the  meeting  of  the  first  General  Assembly 
of  the  State  of  Florida  and  they  earnestly  invoke  its 
serious  attention  to  the  whole  subject,  in  all  its  rela- 
tions and  bearings. 

The  committee,  having  considered  all  the  subjects 
referred  to  them,  beg  to  be  discharged  from  their  fur- 
ther consideration. 

Walker  Anderson, 

Chairman  of  the  Senate  Committee, 
I.  Ferguson,  Jr., 

Chairman  of  the  House  Committee, 

The  reader  has  already  seen  that  I  have  repeatedly 
been  stigmatized  with  the  epithet  of  "  slave-stealer ;" 
to  which  charge  I. did,  and  do  still  plead  not  guilty — 
although  punished  for  that  offence ;  neither  was  it 
ever  my  intention  to  commit  it,  and  God  forbid  it  ever 
should  be. 

Have  not  the  fathers  of  our  nation  proclaimed  to  the 
world,  by  the  declaration  of  independence,  that  "  all 
men  are  born  free  and  equal  ?  "  and  that  they  "  are 
endowed  by  their  creator^*  "  with  an  inalienable  right 
to  life  J  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness  V^     And 


94  TRIAL    AND    IMPRISONMENT 

is  peaceably  assisting  those  who  have  been  robbed  of 
these  rights,  without  in  any  way  infringing  upon  the 
rights  of  others,  slave-stealing  ?  Was  the  benevolent 
and  humane  conduct  of  the  Samaritan,  in  assisting 
the  man,  who  had  fallen  among  thieves  and  was  rob- 
bed, to  get  to  the  inn  where  he  could  be  provided  for, 
stealing?  Is  practising  on  that  invaluable  rule,  of 
doing  to  others  as  we  would  they  should  do  unto  us 
under  similar  circumstances — enjoined  upon  all  Chris- 
tians, by  Jesus  Christ  himself — slave-stealing  ? 

As  to  my  infringing  upon  any  man's  rights,  or  tres- 
passing upon  any  man's  property,  I  deny  it  in  toto. 
Neither  Byrd  C.  Willis,  George  Willis,  nor  Robert  C. 
Caldwell  had  any  more  right  to  Anthony  Catlet, 
Charles  Johnson,  or  Silas  Scott,  than  I  or  any  other  per- 
son had  ;  nor  did  they  ever  have  a  right  to  those  men. 
Under  God,  they  had  a  right  to  themselves,  which  they 
had  never  forfeited;  and  those  who  claim  them  as 
property  or  chattels,  assume  authority  over  the 
Almighty  Creator  of  all  things. 

Much  has  been  said  about  invading  the  rights  of 
the  slave-holder,  by  opposing  the  system  of  slavery. 
As  to  any  of  the  honestly  gained  property  of  the 
slave-holder,  or  any  one  else,  I  have  nothing  to  say ;  but 
I  deny  that  he  has  any  right  or  just  claim  to  his  fellow- 
beings,  without  their  forfeiture  or  consent,  in  the  shape 
of  property  or  chattels  ; — one  American-born  citizen 
being  the  property  of  another  American-born  citizen 
is  ridiculous  in  the  highest  degree,  and  repugnant  to 
every  true  republican  and  Christian  feeling,  and  should 
never  be  countenanced  for  a  moment  by  any  one  hav- 
ing the  least  idea  of  liberty  or  equal  rights.    All  that  can 


OF    JONATHAN   WALKER.  9& 

be  said  in  favor  of  American  slavery  can  be  said  in 
support  of  robbery  or  piracy. 

I  know  that  many  are  ready  to  say,  they  are  guar- 
antied to  their  holders  by  the  laws  of  this  govern- 
ment, and  so  are  held  by  right.  But  neither  this 
government  nor  these  States  have  the  right  to  guar- 
anty one  part  of  the  home-born  citizens  to  become  the 
property  of  another  part,  nor  to  delegate  the  inherent 
rights  and  liberties  of  one  portion  to  the  absolute  con- 
trol and  disposal  of  another  portion.  From  whence 
do  rights  proceed  ?  I  repeat  again  that  they  never  had 
such  rights. 

What  the  slave-holder  calls  his  right  of  property  in 
human  beings,  consists  of  the  slave's  wrongs  ;  handed 
over  from  the  inhuman  kidnapper,  who  stole  his  human 
prey,  and  transferred  it  to  the  human  flesh-buyer ; 
and  how  many  such  flagrant  wrongs  does  it  take  to 
make  one  reasonable  right  ? 

If  there  be  a  just  God,  to  whom  man  is  accountable, 
what  is  our  hope  for  the  perpetrators  of  these  repeated 
wrongs,  when  they  shall  have  passed  on  through  life 
down  to  the  oppressor's  grave  ? 

"  But  what  beyond  that  goal  may  be — 
What  portion  in  eternity, 
For  those  who  oppress  to  gain  their  wealth, 
And  die  without  a  hope  in  death  ? 
I  know  not — and  I  dare  not  think  ; 
Awhile  I  shudder  o'er  the  brink 
Of  that  unfathomable  deep, 
In  which  heaven's  secret  judgments  sleep.'* 

"  Your  riches  are  corrupted,  and  your  garments 
are  moth-eaten ;  your  gold  and  silver  is  cankered, 
and  the  rust  of  them  shall  be  a  witness  against  you, 


9&  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

and  shall  eat  your  flesh  as  it  were  fire.'*  —  "Ye 
have  lived  in  pleasure  on  the  earth,  and  been  wanton ; 
ye  have  nourished  your  hearts,  as  in  a  day  of  slaugh- 
ter ;  ye  have  condemned  and  killed  the  just, — and  he 
did  not  resist  you." 

"  Remember  that  in  thy  lifetime  thou  hast  received 
thy  good  things,"  &c.     Luke  xvi.  25. 

No  community,  society,  sect,  creed,  or  any  persons 
or  individuals,  are  accountable  for,  or  chargeable  with 
my  opinions  or  conduct,  with  respect  to  the  system  of 
slavery, — I  alone  am  responsible ;  and,  as  I  trust,  under 
the  influence  of  the  spirit  of  God.  If  I  have  erred 
through  the  weakness  of  human  judgment,  then  be  the 
offence  mine,  and  the  mercy-seat  my  resort  for  pardon. 
To  those  who  charge  me  with  having  by  over-zeal  gone 
too  far  in  aid  of  suffering  humanity,  I  would  say,  let 
none  other  be  charged  with  participating  in  what  has 
taken  place  in  my  case — I  will  bear  the  blame  alone. 

Be  it  known  to  all  people,  that  I  made  no  bargain, 
contract,  or  agreement  with  any  of  those  persons  for 
any  pecuniary  remuneration  for  the  aid  and  expense 
which  I  devoted  to  their  escape  from  bondage,  other 
than  this :  that  I  remarked  to  one  or  two  of  the  men, 
that  if  they  succeeded  in  getting  where  they  could  be 
free,  and  accumulate  something  for  themselves,  they 
might  give  me  what  they  felt  able  or  disposed  to,  in 
payment  of  the  expense  of  their  passage,  as  it  might 
suit  their  convenience  or  circumstances  ;  and  when 
we  arrived  at  New  Providence,  they  would  be  at  liberty 
to  go  where  they  pleased,  or  remain  there. 

I  am  aware  that  many  innocent  and  well-disposed 
persons  have  suffered  under  the  tongue  of  slander  and 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  9f 

calumny  on  my  account,  and  that  my  case  has  been 
misrepresented  and  made  a  hobby-horse  to  ride  into 
the  anti-slavery  ranks,  and  vilify  the  true  philanthro- 
pists. 

Since  my  return  I  have  been  credibly  informed  that 
some  persons  in  my  vicinity,  in  Massachusetts,  have 
attempted  to  promulgate  the  belief  that  some  of  those 
warm-hearted  friends  in  Harwich,  who  have  endea- 
vored to  afford  me  such  aid  as  was  in  their  power, 
were  interested  in  the  transaction,  and  were  expecting 
to  reap  some  pecuniary  benefit  therefrom.  But  I  wish 
it  to  be  distinctly  understood,  that  no  one  but  myself 
and  those  who  were  with  me  in  the  boat,  had  any 
knowledge  of  the  undertaking ;  and  I  never  gave  the 
hint  to  any  other  person. 

Some  editorials  of  the  Barnstable  (Massachusetts) 
Patriot  have  gone  forth,  to  prejudice  the  people's  minds 
against  every  reasonable  measure  calculated  to  aid  the 
abolition  of  slavery,  and  to  cherish  a  pro-slavery  feeling, 
and  a  most  unsocial  and  unchristian  spirit.  I  lament 
the  depravity  and  lack  of  dignity  which  seem  to 
preside  over  the  genius  of  its  editor. 

Let  those  who  sport  with  the  good  feelings  of 
others,  and  ridicule  the  efforts  which  are  made  to 
rescue  the  oppressed  from  the  hands  of  the  oppressor, 
remember,  that  they,  too,  are  accountable  for  the  part 
they  act,  and  for  the  influence  they  attempt  to  dissemin- 
ate. Let  them  not  build  their  hopes  of  the  decline  of 
the  anti-slavery  cause  upon  my  failing  to  accomplish 
my  undertaking,  in  aiding  a  few  individuals  to  obtain 
some  of  their  rights ;  for  I  doubt  not  but  it  will  event- 
ually be  the  cause  of  awakening  many  sleepers  to 
9  7 


98  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

look  upon  the  hideous  monster,  slavery,  in  its  natural 
and  true  form ;  and  may  God  grant  that  this  nation 
may  soon  have  right  views  and  right  feelings  in  regard 
to  this  corroding  system,  which  is  eating  up  its  vitals, 
and  threatening  speedy  distraction  and  destruction 
through  the  land,  unless  an  overruling  and  benignant 
Providence  should  ward  off  the  blow,  and  spare  us 
from  our  just  deserts. 

It  seems  to  have  been  a  matter  of  wonder  to  many 
here  at  the  north,  to  know  what  I  expected  to  gain  by 
aiding  those  slaves  to  escape  from  their  masters.  In 
reply,  I  will  also  ask  what  did  the  good  Samaritan  expect 
to  gain  by  helping  the  man  who  had  fallen  among 
thieves,  and  was  robbed  and  wounded,  to  a  place  of 
refuge  and  health  ? 

In  Pensacola,  and  in  the  south  generally,  I  believe 
there  is  but  one  opinion  in  regard  to  my  motive — that 
it  was  to  aid  the  slaves  in  obtaining  their  freedom, 
because  I  considered  it  their  right. 

The  following  is  the  bill  of  costs,  brought  against 
me  by  the  territory  of  Florida : — 

[Copy.] 
Territory  of  Florida  )    Abducting  Seven  Slaves, 
vs.  >  Verdict, 

Jonathan  Walker.     )  Guilty , 

Cost  of  Court,  and  fines  in  seven  suits,  .  . 

Paid  Witness  from  Key  West,     .... 

do.  R.  C.  Caldwell, .     .     . 

do.  R.  C.  Caldweli; .     .     . 

"    Deputy  for  travelling  to  navy-yard,  to 

arrest, 

Carried  forward $358  05 


$291  05 

57  75 

3  75 

2  50 

3  00 

OF    JONATHAN    WALKER.  99 

Brought  forward, $358  05 

Paid  Lock  for  Jail, 0  87^ 

"     Blacksmith,  repairing  Jail,  ....  9  13 

"    D.  Quind,  for  guarding  Jail,  &c.  .     .  87  50 

"    City  of  Pensacola  for  use  of  Jail,     .  25  00 
"    City  Jailer,  for  board  up  to  May  23rd, 

1845, 115  50 


$596  05| 
(Signed)  E.  Dorr, 

XJ.  S.  Marshal. 
Received,   Pensacola,  20th  May,  1845,  of  C.  C. 
Keyser,  Esq.,  Five  hundred  ninety-six  5-100  dollars, 
in  full  for  the  above  bill  of  cost. 

(Signed)  Eben.  Dorr, 

Z7.  iS.  Marshal  for  West  Florida, 


100  TRIAL   AND   IMPRISONMENT 

REMARKS. 

"  City  of  Pensacola,  to  use  of  Jail,  $25."  This  to 
me,  I  confess,  is  rather  a  singular  charge  to  bring 
against  a  prisoner. 

"  City  marshal's  bill  for  board,"  was  at  the  rate  of 
37^  cents  per  day ;  but  a  small  part  of  which  was 
expended  for  me,  as  I  was  under  the  necessity  of 
using  about  forty  dollars,  to  provide  myself  with  food, 
which  consisted  mostly  of  bread  and  molasses. 

**  Cost  of  court  and  fines,  in  seven  suits,  $291  05." 

The  fines  were  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars, 
and  the  cost  of  court  consisted  of  the  district  attorney's, 
marshal's  and  clerk's  fees,  and  the  evidence  before  the 
grand  jury. 

There  were  other  charges  in  the  case,  and  I  sup- 
pose they  were  brought  against  the  United  States ; 
and  the  whole  cost  and  expense  would  have  been 
charged  to  the  United  States,  if  my  friends  had  not 
paid  it,  in  order  to  my  release. 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  remark  here  that  I  had 
no  witness,  nor  asked  for  any ;  and  those  whose  fees 
are  charged  in  the  bill  are — Kichard  Roberts,  of  Key 
West,  master  of  the  vessel  that  took  me,  near  Cape 
Florida,  and  the  other,  Robert  C.  Caldwell,  who 
claimed  to  be  an  owner  of  three  of  the  slaves  that  left 
Pensacola  in  my  boat.  These  were  summoned  by 
the  prosecution  to  testify  against  me. 

The  charge  for  guarding  the  jail,  $87  50,  is  a 
mooted  point  with  me ;  at  one  time  I  was  told  that 
it  was  guarded  to  prevent  people  without  from  molest- 
ing me,  and  at  another  time,  that  it  was  guarded  to 
prevent  my  escape  from  prison ;  but  I  think,  probably, 
more  to  make  a  show  than  anything  else. 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  101 

"  Blacksmith— repairing  jail,  &c.  $9  13." 
A  slave  man  came  to  jail  one  day,  and  worked  on 
the  doors  about  two  hours,  and  fastened  a  piece  of 
iron  athwart  an  aperture  in  the  door,  through  which  I 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  receiving  my  food ;  and  I  do 
not  know  what  the  "  &c."  is  for,  except  for  riveting 
the  irons  on  my  leg,  and  making  the  branding  iron. 
The  lock  was  not  used  on  or  about  the  jail. 


Since  my  return  home,  I  have  often  heard  the 
expressions  used,  "  We  never  expected  to  see  you 
here  again ;"  and  "  How  is  it  that  they  let  you  come 
so  soon  ?"  My  answer  is  this  : — Although  what  they  < 
term  the  laws  of  Florida  could  have  been  executed 
with  greater  severity,  and  I  subjected  to  more  cost 
and  longer  imprisonment,  yet  there  was  a  strong 
abhorrence  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  of  Pensacola, 
generally,  to  any  further  infliction  of  punishment ;  and 
many  were  opposed  to  its  execution  thus  far.  Dur- 
ing my  residence  in  Pensacola,  I  had  formed  an 
acquaintance  with  most  of  the  people  of  that  place, 
and  was  on  social  and  friendly  terms  with  all ;  never 
having  any  difficulty  or  misunderstanding  with  any. 

Another  reason  is, — that  there  was,  as  I  believe  I 
have  before  stated,  but  one  opinion  as  to  the  motives 
which  induced  me  to  commit  the  act  for  which  I  was 
called  to  suffer ; — all  seeing  that  I  was  acting  upon 
the  principle  which  I  believed  to  be  true,  just  and 
right — that  "  God  has  made  of  one  blood  all  nations 
of  men  to  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,"  and 
"  that  all  men  are  born  free  and  equal,"  and  are  enti- 


102  TRIAL   AND    IMPRISONMENT 

tied  to  the  same  rights,  by  the  laws  of  God  and  nature 
All  the  people  saw  that  I  was  not  influenced  by  pecu- 
niary considerations,  and  that  I  had  no  intention  of 
trespass  or  fraud  upon  the  rights  or  property  of  any 
one. 

There  was  less  indignant  feeling  towards  me  on 
another  account.  A  large  part  of  the  inhabitants 
were  Creoles,  (descendants  of  French  and  Spanish 
parents,)  and  not  generally  so  irresistibly  devoted  to 
the  system  of  slavery  as  the  American-born  and  bred 
citizens  were ;  and  this  Creole  population  manifested 
more  sympathy  for  me  than  the  rest  of  the  community 
did. 

There  has  also  been  much  inquiry  of  me  in  regard 
to  the  doings  of  Thomas  M.  Blunt,  who  was  employed 
in  New  York  to  manage  my  defence  at  the  November 
Court,  in  Pensacola, — or  to  take  an  appeal  to  the 
United  States  Supreme  Court,  and  have  the  case  pre- 
sented there.  I  have  not  attempted  to  give  any  account 
of  him,  other  than  noting  his  visits  to  me  at  the  prison 
in  December  last;  feeling  that  his  being  sent  was 
nearly  the  greatest  insult  that  friends  at  the  north 
could  impose  on  me. 

I  was  sufficiently  well  acquainted  with  the  man, 
and  his  course  of  behavior  and  conduct,  for  seven 
or  eight  years  and  knew  him  to  be  void  of  any  good 
principle,  and  pro-slavery  to  the  back-bone ;  bred 
and  practised  in  the  hot-bed  of  that  soul-destroy- 
ing system,  which  is  one  of  the  greatest  scourges 
arrayed  against  the  well-being  and  happiness  of  man, 
and  one  of  the  highest  insults  against  the  authority 
and  government  of  God,   who  has   provided  ample 


OF   JONATHAN   WALKER.  103 

means  for  the  happiness  and  welfare  of  the  great 
human  family.  Thomas  M.  Blunt  was  also  looked 
upon  by  the  inhabitants  there  as  a  very  corrupt-minded 
man,  and  a  base  and  common  swindler. 

The  first  knowledge  I  had  of  his  having  anything 
to  do  with  my  case,  was  the  2nd  of  December 
last,  eighteen  days  after  I  had  my  trial.  He  then 
called  at  the  prison,  and  talked  with  me  a  few  minutes 
through  the  window,  without  offering  to  come  in.  He 
stated  to  me  that  he  had  seen  Amos  B.  Merrill  before 
he  left  New  York,  and  he  got  him  to  attend  to  my 
case ;  but  in  consequence  of  the  high  (!)  or  low  (!) 
stage  of  the  water  in  some  of  the  rivers  near  there, 
he  was  prevented  from  being  in  the  place  in  time  to 
attend  to  my  trial.  He  had  then  been  in  the  place 
twelve  or  thirteen  days,  and  said  he  had  told  people 
there,  that  he  was  paid  two  hundred  dollars  to  manage 
my  case,  and  that  my  friends  wished  to  take  an  appeal 
to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  and  wanted 
to  know  if  I  would  consent  to  an  appeal.  I  told  him 
that  I  would,  in  case  I  could  be  bailed  out,  and  not 
be  subjected  to  illegal  treatment.  He  said  he  would 
try  to  get  an  appeal  on  the  case.  He  wanted  to  know 
what  the  expense  amounted  to ;  I  told  him  that  I  had 
not  yet  been  able  to  ascertain  what  it  was.  He  left  me, 
and,  after  a  few  days,  called  again ;  when  I  gave  him 
a  schedule  of  the  charges  then  against  me,  which  had 
been  handed  me  a  day  or  two  before  by  the  marshal, 
the  amount  of  which  was  $421  45.  I  informed 
him  that  the  "  fine.  Si 50,"  could  be  paid  in  Territorial 
scrip,  which  could  be  bought  at  a  large  discount, 
and  that  a  sum  of  less  than  four  hundred  dollars  would 


104        walker's  trial  and  imprisonment. 

be  sufficient  to  effect  my  release.  I  asked  him  if  he 
could  not  make  some  arrangement  to  satisfy  the 
demand,  so  that  I  might  leave  the  place.  He  said 
that  he  was  going  to  the  next  county,  where  he  had 
some  money  owing  him,  and  if  he  could  get  that,  he 
would  release  me ;  but  that  he  could  not  get  an  appeal 
on  the  case,  for  the  bail  would  be  so  high  that  it  could 
not  be  given.  He  handed  me  a  paper  in  which  was 
enclosed  a  letter,  and  resolution  from  the  British  and 
Foreign  Anti-Slavery  Society,  and  left,  until  the  25th, 
when  he  called  again,  and  said  he  was  then  going  to 
New  York,  and  would  stir  up  my  friends  about  the 
matter,  and  urge  them  to  have  the  means  necessary  to 
my  release  forthcoming. 

This  is  the  substance  of  my  positive  knowledge  of 
the  doings  of  Thomas  M.  Blunt,  in  regard  to  my  case  ; 
but  since  my  return,  I  have  been  informed  that  he 
received  from  a  committee,  who  had  been  acting  in  the 
case,  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  which  had  been 
subscribed  to  provide  me  with  counsel,  and  my  family 
with  such  aid  as  they  might  need. 


APPENDIX. 

My  mind  has  for  a  long  time  been  strongly  impressed 
with  the  conviction  that  a  more  than  ordinary  providence 
has  attended  me  thus  far  through  life.  The  variety  of 
scenes  and  situations  which  I  have  passed  through,  and 
many  a  narrow  escape  from  death,  cause  me  greatly  to 
wonder  that  I  am  yet  a  spared  subject  upon  God's  footstool ; 
and  for  his  great  power  and  preserving  care,  attended  with 
numerous  and  great  mercies  towards  me,  I  delight  to 
acknowledge  him  as  my  Governor,  King,  and  God,  to  whom 
be  glory  in  the  highest !  In  view  of  the  numerous  causes 
that  have  a  tendency  to  shorten  frail  man's  earthly  exis- 
tence, I  will  unite  with  David  in  saying, 

"  Strange  thai  a  harp  of  thousand  strings 
Should  keep  in  tune  so  long !  " 

When  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  one  severe  cold  day, 
while  sliding  on  the  ice  upon  a  deep  pond,  1  incautiously 
went  over  a  part  that  was  scarcely  frozen,  broke  through  and 
went  in,  and  was  almost  miraculously  rescued  by  the  assist- 
ance of  another  boy  about  the  same  age. 

In  the  year  1817,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  for  twenty  odd 
days  I  was  stretched  upon  a  sick  couch,  in  a  thatched  bam- 
boo* shantee,  suffering  with,  and  but  scarcely  surviving,  a 
violent  and  raging  fever,  more  than  eight  thousand  miles 
from  home,  kindred  and  friends,  among  strange  people  and 
of  a  strange  language — watched  over  mostly  at  night  by 
lizards — innocent  little  creatures  I  never  wish  to  forget. 
With  what  apparent  earnestness  and  anxiety  they  seemed 
to  regard  me,  as  they  crept  over  me  and  about  the  walls  of 
my  humble  abode,  by  the  light  shining  from  a  clay  dish  of 
cocoa-nut  oil,  with  a  string  one  end  in  the  oil  and  the  other 

*  Ijarge  reed  that  grows  in  the  East  Indies. 


106  APPENDIX. 

on  the  side  of  the  dish,  lit  up  as  a  substitute  for  a  lamp 
Many  long,  silent  and  wakeful  hours  have  I  observed  the 
harmless  little  reptiles  in  their  movements,  while  their  bright 
and  sparkling  eyes  surveyed  me  as  though  they  felt  a  deep 
interest  in  my  case.  Their  looks  and  actions  were  always 
pleasant  and  agreeable,  and  aided  me  in  beguiling  away  the 
long  and  tedious  nights. 

Before  I  had  so  far  recovered  as  to  be  able  to  prosecute 
any  employment,  my  small  purse  was  exnausted,  and  I  was 
left  destitute  and  dependent  upon  the  kindness  of  those 
whom  I  never  saw  before,  and  could  neither  speak  their 
language  nor  they  mine  ;  but  a  kind  Providence  interposed, 
and  I  was  soon  again  in  comfortable  circumstances. 

Less  than  one  year  from  that  time  I  was  knocked  dow^n 
senseless  and  washed  into  the  lee  scuppers,  on  board  of  a 
ship  lying  to  in  the  English  channel,  in  a  severe  gale, 
while  at  the  pump.  A  sea  struck  her  midships  with  great 
violence,  staving  in  much  of  the  bulwarks  and  carrying  with 
it  all  that  was  moveable,  and  me  with  the  rest ;  and  the 
next  thing  I  knew,  I  was  lying  on  the  cabin  floor,  and  was 
told,  that  when  the  water  had  cleared  from  the  decks,  I  was 
found  crawling  out  between  the  lanyards  of  the  lee  main 
rigging,  and  w^ould,  if  let  alone,  in  a  few  seconds  have  been 
overboard,  and  clear  of  the  vessel. 

Within  a  few  days  of  one  year  from  that  time,  in  March, 
1820,  while  on  a  passage  from  Europe  to  the  United  States 
in  a  brig,  I  was  precipitated  from  the  fore  top-sail  yard-arm 
head-foremost  overboard,  in  a  dark  night  and  gale  of  wind. 
The  weather  being  cold,  I  had  on  at  that  time  heavy  boots 
and  thick  clothing,  which  greatly  obstructed  my  exertions 
in  the  water ;  and  the  first  thing  I  came  in  contact  with 
was  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  and  after  some  struggling  to 
gain  the  surface,  and  before  I  was  sensible  of  reaching  it,  I 
caught  a  rope  and  seized  it  with  my  whole  strength,  and 
soon  found  myself  raised  partly  out  of  water,  and  the  next 
instant  plunged  under  again  and  dragged  forcibly  through 


APPE3NDIX.  107 

it,  at  a  rapid  rate.  Thus,  for  three  or  four  minutes,  as  near 
as  I  can  judge,  I  remained  in  that  situation,  hallooing  at 
the  top  of  my  voice  whenever  my  head  was  ahove  water, 
and  was  nearly  losing  my  hold  when  I  was  seized  by  the 
captain,  mate,  and  another  man,  who,  with  some  difficulty, 
succeeded  in  getting  me  on  board. 

There  were  two  men  on  the  same  yard,  and  a  third  com- 
ing up,  when  I  fell  off,  and  neither  knew  that  I  had  fallen 
off  until  they  had  reefed  the  topsail  and  come  down  upon 
deck.  Had  I  fallen  on  the  vessel  in  my  headlong  position, 
it  would  have  insured  instant  death.  Had  I  fallen  in  any 
other  position  than  I  did  in  the  water,  the  concussion  would, 
in  all  probability,  have  rendered  me  incapable  of  immediate 
exertion.  Had  I  gained  the  surface  at  any  other  place  than 
I  did,  there  would  have  been  nothing  to  get  hold  of,  and  in 
less  than  one  minute  the  vessel  would  have  passed  away 
from  me  altogether  and  forever ;  for  there  was  no  possi- 
bility of  getting  to  me  with  vessel  or  boat  at  such  a  time  as 
that,  if  such  an  attempt  should  have  been  thought  of. 

I  was  at  Havana  in  the  sickly  summer  of  1824,  when 
the  yellow  fever  was  multiplying  its  victims  among  for- 
eigners at  a  fearful  rate,  and  carrying  them  off  with  the 
black  vomit,  while  death  hoisted  his  desolating  ensign  over 
the  fleet  of  shipping  that  was  then  in  port,  and  sending  its 
cartloads  daily  of  European  and  American  citizens  and 
seamen  out  of  the  city,  and  from  on  ship-board,  to  their  last 
earthly  abode,  no  more  to  return  to  the  social  circle  and 
their  active  vocations,  in  which  they  had  acted  their  part ; 
but  leaving  gloom  and  despair  in  the  countenances  of  many 
a  gallant  crew.  In  some  cases  there  were  not  men  enough 
left  to  pass  their  sleeping  shipmate  over  the  vessel's  side  into 
the  waterman's  boat,  to  be  transferred  to  the  dead-cart. 

I  too  was  singled  out,  and  prostrated  by  that  scourge  of 
humanity,  but  after  five  days  of  severe  conflict,  the  pale 
horse  and  his  rider  passed  by,  and  permitted  mercy  to 
attend,   and   nature  to  revive   again,   contrary  to   human 


108  '  APPENDIX. 

expectation  ;  for  I  knew  not  the  second  one  that  could  say 
that  he  was  rescued  from  the  clutches  of  the  fell  destroyer. 

I  will  briefly  notice  one  more  circumstance  of  my  life, 
and  then  would  gladly  have  them  all,  with  many  other 
transactions,  forever  erased  from  my  mind,  were  it  not  that 
I  can  see  something  in  them  that  looks  like  the  goodness  of 
God  in  his  merciful  dealings  with  rebellious  dust,  and  that 
elevates  my  grateful  feelings  to  him,  "  for  his  wonderful 
works  to  the  children  of  men." 

In  the  fore  part  of  the  year  1835,  I  had  some  correspon- 
dence with  the  late  Benjamin  Lunday,  then  residing  in 
Philadelphia.  That  eminent  philanthropist  had  previously 
travelled  and  spent  a  considerable  time  in  Mexico,  and  had 
obtained  a  grant  to  settle  a  colony  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  province  of  Tamaulipas,  on  very  liberal  terms,  and  I 
had  a  mind  to  favor  the  scheme  to  the  best  of  my  ability, 
and  began  to  look  that  way  for  my  earthly  home  ;  but 
thought  it  best  to  see  the  promised  land  before  adopting  it  as 
my  local  resting-place  with  my  family.  In  order  to  do  so, 
I  left  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts,  in  the  following  No- 
vember, in  a  vessel  of  twelve  tons,  if  so  small  a  craft  may 
be  called  a  vessel.  Our  number  was  three ;  myself  and 
son,  of  the  age  of  twelve  years,  and  another  young  man, 
a  mechanic. 

We  had  a  long  and  rough  passage,  and  encountered  five 
gales  before  we  reached  Mexico.  When  we  arrived  at 
Matamoras  I  found  the  country  in  a  very  unsettled  state, 
and  strong  and  growing  prejudices  were  arrayed  against  cit- 
izens of  the  United  States,  on  account  of  the  war  that  was 
then  raging  between  Mexico  and  her  rebellious  Texas,  car- 
ried on  mainly  by  assistance  from  the  United  States.  I 
remained  there  some  time  expecting  to  be  joined  by  others, 
but  none  appeared ;  they  were  prevented  doubtless  by  the 
war. 

I  was  chartered  by  mercantile  houses  in  Matamoras  to 
run  several  trips  between  that  place  and  New  Orleans,  as  a 


APPENDIX.  109 

courier  to  carry  letters  for  them  on  mercantile  business. 
Returning  on  my  last  trip,  we  got  ashore  on  the  coast,  and 
in  the  act  of  getting  off,  we  were  attacked  by  a  gang  of 
robbers.  My  young  friend,  R.  Marble,  attempted  to  escape 
by  flight,  but  was  pursued  by  two  of  the  armed  assassins, 
and  I  saw  him  no  more.  My  son  plunged  into  the  surf  and 
swam  to  sea.  They  fired  at  me,  and  I  received  two  of  their 
musket  balls,  and  made  supplication  for  mercy,  but  they  soon 
convinced  me,  by  attempting  to  use  a  pistol  and  their  knives 
upon  me,  that  if  I  looked  to  them  for  quarter,  I  looked  in 
vain.  My  only  chance  to  escape  immediate  death,  was  to 
follow  if  possible  the  example  of  my  son,  and  while  they 
were  making  the  attempt  to  despatch  me,  I  succeeded  in 
gaining  the  surf,  and  joined  my  son  in  the  offing.  We 
found  it  necessary  to  divest  ourselves  of  what  clothing  we 
had  on,  to  enable  us  to  exercise  ourselves  with  more  activity 
and  ease. 

And  now  let  the  reader  imagine  our  situation.  On  one 
side  was  the  shore  guarded  by  the  robbers  ready  to  butcher 
us  if  we  landed,  and  on  the  other  side  was  the  whol^ay 
of  Mexico  ;  and  myself  deprived  of  the  use  of  one  hand  by 
a  bullet,  being  shot  through  the  wrist  joint.  The  blood 
oozing  freely  from  that  and  another  bullet-wound  in  the 
abdomen,  was  well  suited  to  invite  a  greedy  shark  to  finish 
the  work  of  his  two-legged  brothers  on  shore. 

From  whence  now  could  we  look  for  aid  or  hope,  but  to 
God,  the  only  sure  source  and  fountain  of  hope  and  safety, 
in  times  of  need  and  danger  ?  And  thither  did  we  look,  and 
not  in  vain  ;  for,  by  divine  assistance,  we  were  enabled  to 
keep  our  heads  above  water  until  the  darkness  of  night 
afforded  us  an  opportunity  to  elude  their  vigilance,  and  land 
at  some  distance  from  the  place  where  we  first  swam.  We 
carefully  surveyed  the  shore,  before  landing,  to  see  that  we 
were  not  observed  by  any  of  the  banditti,  and  took  the 
direction  of  the  shore  toward  the  nearest  inhabited  place  I 
knew  of,  in  search  of  aid  and  protection.  It  was  nearly 
10 


110  APPENDIX. 

sun-down  when  we  were  attacked,  and  I  think  we  were  in 
the  water  something  over  one  hour.  After  travelling  that 
night  and  the  greater  part  of  the  next  day,  suffering  severely 
from  pain,  raging  thirst,  weakness  hy  loss  of  blood,  and  the 
heat  of  a  burning  sun  acting  upon  our  naked  bodies, — [if 
memory  serves,  this  circumstance  took  place  on  the  6th  of 
June,  1836,  in  the  latitude  of  36°  North,]— on  the  after- 
noon of  the  7th,  we  presented  our  miserable  and  almost 
exhausted  persons  at  a  Rancho,  (small  village,)  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  del  Norte,  where  we  found  aid  and  hos- 
pitable treatment  from  its  poor  inhabitants,  for  which  we 
were  very  grateful. 

Thus  we  were  thrown  upon  the  charity  of  strangers  more 
than  two  thousand  miles  from  home,  entirely  naked,  and 
pennyless,  myself  severely  wounded  and  in  a  very  delicate 
state  of  health.  The  distance  we  had  travelled  was  esti- 
mated by  the  inhabitants  at  forty  miles,  and  we  were  unable 
^  procure  any  fresh  water  during  the  whole  distance.  I 
\^^ frequently  compelled  to  lie  down,  being  overcome  with 
thiiymd  pain.  The  wound  in  the  wrist  continued  to  bleed 
upwards  of  fifteen  hours,  and  could  only  be  stanched  by 
keepmg  the  wound  higher  than  the  shoulder,  and  in  order 
to  do  that  I  was  obliged  to  hold  it  up  with  the  other  hand. 
I  am  of  the  opinion  that  I  lost  but  very  little,  if  any,  short 
of  four  quarts  of  blood  before  it  stopped  ;  and  before  reaching 
the  Rancho,  I  was  reeling  and  staggering  like  a  drunken 
person,  and  could  with  difficulty  make  any  progress. 

The  last  special  circumstance  or  transaction  which  I  have 
encountered,  has  been  related  in  the  preceding  narrative. 
Except  the  foregoing,  I  do  not  suppose  that  I  have  expe- 
rienced anything  more  or  stranger  than  thousands  of  others, 
who,  like  myself,  have  passed  upwards  often  years  of  their 
lives  on  the  salt  blue  sea,  and  gone  among  as  many  different 
nations  ;  inhaling  the  atmosphere  of  each  quarter  of  the 
globe ;  sometimes  shivering  with  Russia's  cold  piercing 
winds  in  her  ice-bound  seas,  and  anon  wilting  under  a 


APPENDIX. 


Ill 


burning  vertical  sun  ;  whilst  gliding-  through  the  torrid 
zone,  gently  moved  along  by  the  refreshing  breeze  that 
always  blov^^s  one  way  ;  and  at  other  times  scarcely  able 
to  turn  the  weather-beaten  face  to  the  furious  howling  blasts, 
while  my  habitation  majestically  mounted  the  lofty  wave 
which  it  had  hove  up, — the  next  instant  rushing  down  its 
declivity  with  the  rapidity  of  thought,  as  if  bound  in  haste 
to  the  nether  regions,  almost  ingulfed  between  two  water 
hills ;  tumbling,  careening,  and  again  rearing  the  summit, 
like  a  thing  of  life.  Then  again  all  is  hushed,  and  the 
troubled  ocean  exhibits  a  surface  as  if  it  was  one  sheet  of 
polished  glass,  without  a  ripple,  or  any  visible  object,  except 
now  and  then  a  homeless  Mother  Gary's  chicken,  wander- 
ing over  the  vast  expanse  of  water,  as  if  moved  by  instinct, 
regardless  of  its  course,  or  where  night  may  overtake  it. 
Thus  nature  seems  to  have  forgotten  her  activity,  and  to 
have  fallen  asleep. 

But  again  the  heavens  gather  blackness ;  the  smooth, 
lamb-like,  uniform  appearance  of  all  around,  changes  its 
aspect,  and  assumes  the  leopard's  skin,  and  the  tiger's 
nature.  Jack's  eyes  brighten  ;  he  looks  at  the  thickening 
cloud,  then  at  the  distant  horizon ;  he  paces  the  decks  with 
hurried  steps,  glancing  an  occasional  eye  at  the  spread  can- 
vass, and  begins  to  talk  about  tying  it  up.  Old  ocean's 
face  is  again  about  to  suffer  agitation,  and  its  infant  peaks 
begin  to  put  on  their  white  caps.  All  now  is  hurry  and  bus- 
tle ;  the  halyards,  sheets,  clue-lines  and  gaskets,  are  put  in 
requisition  ;  the  wind  whistles  through  the  rigging ;  the 
awakened  craft  rolls  up  her  sea-washed  side,  and  trembles 
like  a  frightened  horse  ;  the  rumbling  of  the  clouds'  chariot- 
wheels  is  heard  approaching  from  the  upper  regions ;  tor- 
rents of  cold  water  descend  from  their  beds  above,  and  the 
busy  mariner  is  immersed  without  consultation  or  consent. 
The  forked  lightnings  shoot  forth  ;  and  the  little  floating 
world  seems  to  be  wrapped  up  in  a  frightful  thunder  cloud. 
The  bold  blasphemer  feels  that  the  weapons  of  death  are 


112  APPENDIX. 

suspended  over  his  head,  and  shunning  those  objects  most 
likely  to  attract  the  liquid  fire,  he  casts  off  his  atheistical 
faith,  which  can  only  serve  him  in  less  threatening  hours, 
when  conscience  is  smothered  and  deprived  of  its  office. 
But  a  kind  Providence  presides,  and  the  heavens  assume  a 
milder  hue ;  sail  after  sail  is  spread  to  catch  the  declining 
breeze  ;  and  the  valiant  craft  speeds  on  towards  her  port  of 
destination,  regardless  of  the  past.  But  in  due  time,  the 
delightful  sound  of  Land,  ho !  falls  from  the  mast-head ; 
joy  brightens  up  each  countenance,  and  imagination  stands 
tiptoe.  Soon  the  landward  eye  surveys  the  approaching 
hills,  forests  and  fields,  that  produce  food  for  men  and 
beasts.  Then  comes  to  view  a  whitened  pinnacle-formed 
edifice,  fixed  on  some  projecting  point  or  sea-worn  rock,  to 
warn  the  watchful  mariner  of  his  danger  when  surrounded 
by  the  darkness  of  night.  Soon  new  objects  attract  the 
attention ;  for  now  are  seen  the  clustered  buildings  which 
contain  a  complicated  multitude  with  their  numerous  avoca- 
tions, with  here  and  there  a  towering  steeple  of  some  public 
edifice  established  for  the  improvement  of  the  physical, 
mental,  or  moral  faculties  of  the  children  of  men. 

Some  might  be  led  to  suppose  that  the  inward-bound 
sailor  would  there  find  a  recess  from  his  multiplied  cares 
and  exposed  situation, — a  refuge  from  the  furious  contending 
elements  ;  but  not  so  ;  other  and  greater  dangers  and  expo- 
sures are  here  in  reserve  for  those  who  have  escaped  the 
perils  incident  to  a  sea-faring  life.  Not  the  mighty  dashing 
billows,  nor  the  swift  rushing  blasts  that  pack  up  the  sea 
in  heaps  and  ridges,  not  the  lee  iron-bound  coasts,  nor  the 
much  dreaded  thunder-cloud,  dealing  out  His  chain-light- 
nings, are  half  so  dangerous  as  the  snares  and  gins  there 
laid  to  entrap,  deceive  and  destroy  those,  whose  "  heart  is 
not  fixed  on  the  Lord  their  God,"  who  *'  openeth  the  eyes 
of  the  blind,"  "  who  preserveth  the  strangers,"  and  '*  giv- 
eth  grace  to  the  humble  and  contrite  ones." 

There  Beelzebub  has  established  his  active  agents,  and 


APPENDIX.  113 

furnished  them  with  a  recruiting  robe,  and  instructed  them 
to  appear  in  numerous  attractive  forms;  and,  at  every 
unguarded  place,  heave  out  their  baits  to  induce  the  lover  of 
pleasure  and  the  inexperienced  youth  to  enter  and  partake 
of  their  dainties, — the  flowing  bowl,  a  pack  of  cards,  the 
jovial  song,  the  merry  dance,  the  gamingtable, — and  to  min- 
gJe  in  the  social  circle  of  the  house  that  leads  to  death. 
The  end  is  poverty,  degradation,  misery,  delirium  and 
death,  with  awful  forebodings  of  the  future,  without  one 
cheering  ray  of  hope  beyond  the  grave.  Of  such  exposures 
and  of  such  vicissitudes  is  a  sailor's  life  made  up  ;  and  what 
father  would  like  to  place  his  boy  in  such  a  situation  1 — or 
what  mother  would  not  use  all  her  influence  to  direct  or 
induce  her  son  to  seek  some  other  honest  or  useful  employ- 
ment, that  would  not  cause  her  heart  to  be  wrung  by  day 
and  by  night,  at  the  thoughts  of  his  exposed  condition  1 — or 
to  break  at  the  knowledge  of  his  untimely,  sudden,  or 
inglorious  death,  without  any  adequate  preparation  for  a 
safe  landing 

"  On  that  blest  shore  of  endless  joy, 
Where  troubles  come  no  more  !  " 

I  hope  the  reader  will  not  charge  me  with  a  total  depart- 
ure from  the  subject,  or  with  designed  inconsistency,  if  I 
have  somewhat  digressed  from  the  main  course  which  I 
have  attempted  to  keep,  and  whose  importance  demands  the 
ablest  pens,  and  the  first  talents,  and  the  warmest  sympa- 
thies of  the  land ,  to  combat  the  evils  and  expose  the  true 
causes  which  entail  so  much  shame,  sin,  and  the  fruit  of 
both,  on  a  laudable  calling.  For  I  think  that  next  to  the 
slave,  the  sailor  is  thrown  most  shamefully  into  the  scale  of 
oppression,  wrong,  and  neglect.  Although  some  efforts 
have  been  made  by  many  well-disposed  persons  for  the 
improvement  of  those  brave  and  useful  sons  of  the  main, 
yet  nothing  equal  to  the  importance  of  the  case  has  come  to 
my  knowledge.  I  would  not  be  understood  to  overlook  or 
10^  8 


114  APPENDIX. 

lightly  esteem  the  benevolent  and  humane  efforts  that  have 
been  put  forth  by  the  Seaman's  Friend  Society,  and  others 
favorably  disposed  toward  the  ameUoration  of  their  condi- 
tion. But  so  long  as  the  numerous  and  active  schools  of 
deception  and  vice  are  in  full  operation,  and  parents  cannot, 
or  will  not,  prevent  their  children  from  receiving  instruction 
in  them,  we  cannot  or  should  not  expect  much  of  a  refor- 
mation, or  think  that  we  have  any  reasonable  grounds  for 
hope  of  the  removal  of  the  evil. 

By  personal  observation,  I  am  compelled  to  believe  that 
there  is  a  great  obligation  and  responsibility  resting  upon 
parents  and  guardians,  ship-owners  and  the  nation.  When 
parents  and  guardians  so  far  neglect  their  duty  to  their 
children  and  minors,  as  to  induce  them  to  embark  on  the 
dangerous  experiment,  by  their  neglecting  to  aid  them  in 
some  other  pursuit  or  employment,  or  drive  them  away  by 
improper  treatment,  they  have  no  right  to  complain  if  they 
have  to  partake  of  the  bitter  cup  of  sorrow  and  remorse 
themselves,  as  the  natural  fruit  of  their  unnatural  conduct 
towards  those  for  whom  they  are,  by  the  laws  of  nature  and 
of  God,  held  accountable.  1  do  not  intend  to  charge  the  fact 
upon  all  the  parents  that  have  children  who  follow  the  seas  ; 
neither  do  I  contend  that  there  is  anything  dishonorable  or 
improper  necessarily  connected  with  that  vocation.  But  I 
do  unhesitatingly,  and  without  the  fear  of  contradiction,  say 
that  no  way  of  life  in  the  United  States  places  a  young  man 
in  so  critical  a  situation  as  is  common  to  a  seafaring  life  ;  or 
one  in  which  he  is  so  likely  to  make  shipwreck  of  his  soul, 
unless  guarded  by  the  strongest  moral  feelings,  or  merci- 
fully dealt  with  by  a  kind  and  overruling  Providence. 
Especially  is  this  true  of  the  United  States  service. 

I  have  hinted  that  ship-owners  are  the  responsible  party ; 
but  those  who  can  truly  plead  not  guilty  to  the  charge, 
(and  I  hope  and  believe  there  are  some,  although  the  num- 
ber is  by  far  too  small,)  are  not  intended  to  come  under  it. 
When  the  owner  is  about  to  fit  his  ship  for  a  voyage,  he 


APPENDIX.  115 

is  perfectly  aware  that  she  must  be  manned,  in  order  to 
perform  her  voyage.  And  does  he  not  incur  a  responsi- 
bility in  regard  to  the  rights  and  welfare  of  those  who  have 
to  leave  home  and  friends,  the  watchful  care  of  parents,  and 
the  restraints  of  civilized  society,  to  check  them  from  par- 
ticipating in  those  vices  incident  to  a  sailor's  life,  intemper- 
ance and  profanity,  which  are  the  highway  to  numerous 
other  vices?  I  would  ask,  if  the  owner  has  no  other  duty  or 
obligation  resting  on  him,  than  to  furnish  his  vessel  with 
such  master  and  officers  as  in  his  opinion  would  be  likely  to 
perform  a  voyage  with  the  least  possible  expense,  and  aid 
him  in  the  accumulation  of  the  greatest  number  of  dollars, 
regardless  of  all  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  those  he 
employs,  whether  physically,  mentally,  or  morally  1  Will 
he  attempt  to  satisfy  his  conscience,  and  say  that  he  has 
done  all  that  he  should  do  for  them,  when  he  has  paid 
them  their  small  wages,  while  they  have  undergone  much 
privation  and  risked  their  lives  for  his  benefit  ? 

The  owner,  if  he  chooses,  can  place  his  ship,  without 
making  any  sacrifice  or  incurring  any  risk,  in  charge  of 
masters  and  oflicers  who  are  of  temperate  habits  and  humane 
hearts ;  such  as  can  control  themselves,  and  not  allow  their 
own  passions  and  outbreaks  of  improper  conduct  and  lan- 
guage to  disgrace  them  in  the  eyes  of  the  crew,  and  excite 
them  to  disobedience,  anger  and  rebellion.  Self-control  is 
no  small  part  of  the  qualification  of  a  master  or  officer ;  and 
by  judicious  authority,  and  a  reasonable  course  of  correct 
conduct  towards  the  crew,  he  will  insure  respect  and  ready 
obedience  on  the  part  of  the  crew,  and  bind  the  cords  of 
friendship  and  good-will  stronger,  and  excite  to  a  faithful 
discharge  of  their  duty,  more  than  by  all  the  curses,  threats, 
blasphemy,  blows,  floggings  and  pistols  that  could  be  dis- 
played on  a  ship's  deck. 

Seamen,  as  well  as  other  people,  are  in  some  measure 
creatures  of  circumstances,  and  partake  much  of  the  cus- 
toms and  spirit  of  those  whom  they  have  constant  inter- 
10 


116  APPENDIX. 

course  and  business  with.  If  the  master  and  officers  do  not 
indulge  in  improper  language  and  conduct  themselves,  they 
have  a  right,  and  it  is  their  duty,  to  insist  on  the  same  from 
the  crew,  and  I  doubt  not  but  they  would  generally  be  met 
by  a  response  on  the  part  of  the  crew.  '^  As  iron  sharpen- 
eth  iron,  so  a  man  sharpeneth  the  countenance  of  his 
friend."  *' As  in  water  face  answereth  to  face,  so  the 
heart  of  man  to  man." 

Another  point  worthy  of  serious  consideration,  and  for 
which,  owners  should  be  entitled  to  the  censure  of  every 
sailor's  friend,  is  the  careless  manner  in  which  they  ship,  or 
have  their  crews  shipped ;  which  frequently  causes  much 
and  serious  damage  and  difficulty  on  the  voyage.  It  is 
very  common  for  sailors  to  go  or  be  carried  on  board  of  ves- 
sels, ignorant  of  the  purport  of  the  articles  of  agreement 
which  they  have  signed  or  others  have  signed  for  them ;  for 
their  consent  is  too  often  given,  and  their  signatures  are 
affixed,  while  under  the  influence  of  intoxicating  liquors,  or 
instigated  by  other  improper  agents,  and  soon  after  they  find 
cause  to  regret  it,  without  the  ability  to  retract  the  un- 
guarded transaction. 

There  is  nothing  more  common  than  for  sailors  to  be 
sadly  deficient  in  a  knowledge  of  the  law  by  which  they  are 
governed,  and  for  the  violation  of  which,  they  frequently 
have  to  suffer  severely.  Many  serious  occurrences  and  dif- 
ficulties have  passed  under  my  own  observation,  both  at  sea 
and  in  port,  in  consequence  of  their  ignorance  of  the  purport 
of  the  articles  of  agreement,  and  the  law  by  which  they  are 
bound  and  by  which  they  are  to  be  governed  ;  and  this,  con- 
sequently, is  the  means  of  constantly  furnishing  jails  and 
prisons  with  inmates,  and  courts  with  employment ;  which 
attempted  remedy  often  proves  worse  than  the  disease. 

How  much  would  it  cost  to  furnish  each  outward-bound 
vessel  with  a  copy  of  so  much  of  the  maritime  law  as 
relates  to  their  obligation  and  duty,  so  that  each  man  could 


APPENDIX.  117 

know  for  himself  his  limits,  and  shape  his  course  of  conduct 
and  actions  accordingly  ? 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  go  into  a  minute  investigation,  or 
notice  this  subject  here  at  any  length  ;  but  a  sense  of  duty 
to  that  class.of  citizens,  for  whose  welfare  I  feel  very  solic- 
itous, and  for  whose  wrongs  much  abhorrence,  induces  me 
to  say  thus  much. 

The  cabin  and  quarter  deck  are  frequently  lit  up  by 
instruction,  conversation  and  reading ;  but  darkness  and 
silence  generally  hang  over  the  forecastle  and  main  deck, 
except  it  is  broken  by  notice  of  some  misdemeanor  on 
Jack's  part.  Then,  if  he  speaks,  or  attempts  to  defend  him- 
self or  his  shipmates  from  violent  abuse  or  blows  from 
an  intemperate,  overbearing,  foul-mouthed  captain,  he  is 
charged  with  mutiny,  and  hove  into  a  distant  prison,  desti- 
tute and  despised,  to  await  the  pleasure  of  the  assaulting 
party,  and  to  undergo  a  mock  trial,  with  overwhelming 
prejudices  and  power  arrayed  against  him.  While  I  am 
writing  this,  a  part  of  the  crews  of  two  brigs  are  now  incar- 
cerated with  me,  as  I  have  intimated,  without  any  adequate 
means  for  their  defence. 

This  nation  has  incurred  disgrace  abroad,  and  shame  and 
guilt  at  home,  by  the  course  she  has  pursued  in  the  instruc- 
tion of  her  sons  in  the  arts  of  vice  and  immorality,  by  her 
schools  of  sin  and  degradation. 

It  is  a  notorious  fact,  that  a  large  portion  of  those  who 
serve  on  board  of  a  man-of-war,  leave  that  service  in  a  far 
worse  condition  than  when  they  joined  it,  if  they  leave  it 
alive.  How  can  it  be  otherwise,  when  a  young  man  is 
confined  for  years  in  a  crowd  that  make  the  most  liberal  use 
of  the  most  licentious,  blackguard  and  profane  language 
that  can  be  spoken  ;  and  receiving  with  his  daily  rations  the 
bewitching,  destructive  and  poisonous  draught,  which  stim- 
ulates and  excites  the  worst  passions,  and  inflames  the 
mind,  while  learning  the  art  of  killing  his  fellow- men  to 
gratify  a  few  avaricious,  self-willed,  cruel  monsters  in  human 


lis  APPENDIX. 

shape,  who  neither  fear  God  nor  regard  the  welfare  of  men  ? 
And  if  these  lessons  do  not  sufficiently  destroy  all  the  best 
feelings  and  dignity  of  the  man,  then  take  him  to  the  gang- 
way and  give  him  two  or  three  dozen,  in  view  of  all  his 
associates,  on  the  bare  back,  with  the  cat-o'-nine-tails,  as 
the  reward  of  some  misconduct  that  he  has  just  been  trained 
to.  He  is  then  qualified  to  be  anything  that  a  man  should 
not  be,  and  to  participate  in  the  most  degrading  vice  that 
can  fall  in  his  way.  He  is  then  rigged  out  with  his  life 
diploma ;  stamped  with  indelible  stripes  across  his  back, 
only  to  be  obliterated  when  death  shall  remove  him  from  his 
degraded  earthly  tabernacle ! 

I  again  repeat,  that  if  this  drilling  and  fostering  in  the 
cradle  of  vice  and  immorality  do  not  sufficiently  debase  and 
ruin  the  poor  victim,  it  will  not  be  for  the  want  of  national 
support  and  countenance. 

In  the  few  passing  remarks  I  have  here  made,  I  intend  no 
disrespect  to  seamen  generally,  though  I  very  much  regret 
to  say  they  yield  too  readily  to  their  own  downfall  and  ruin  ; 
yet  I  am  proud  and  prepared  to  say,  that  of  all  classes  of 
men,  none  possess  more  open  or  greater  hearts  than  do  the 
sailors ;  or  are  so  ready  to  run  any  risk  or  make  any  sacri- 
fice in  aid  of  their  suffering  fellow-beings.  To  such  I  am 
indebted,  more  than  others,  for  their  active  and  manifest 
sympathies  toward  me  when  in  prison  and  in  chains.  They 
did  not,  as  did  some  others,  call  to  see  what  kind  of  a  look- 
ing animal  an  abolitionist  was  ;  but  to  see  in  what  way  they 
could  contribute  to  my  comfort,  or  ameliorate  my  condition  ; 
and  their  purses  were  tendered  me  cheerfully,  although 
some  were  entire  strangers.  Sailors  generally,  if  they  have 
not  been  spoiled  by  unreasonable  and  inhuman  treatment, 
by  brutal  blows  and  cursing,  can  be  managed  under  almost 
all  circumstances  without  difficulty.  They  are  the  most 
sensible  of  favors  of  any  people  that  I  have  ever  had  the 
privilege  to  be  among ;  and  though  their  appearance  and 
manner  is  rough,  and  in  many  respects  different  from  others, 


APPENDIX.  119 

yet  they  are  susceptible  of  the  finest  feelings,  and  possess 
warm  hearts.  Those  who  have  read  the  circumstances 
attending  the  fate  of  the  ship  Dorchester  on  her  passage 
from  Liverpool  to  the  United  States  last  December,  have  in 
that  transaction  seen  an  example  of  their  fortitude,  heroism 
and  resignation,  in  the  magnanimity  of  her  brave  captain 
and  crew  toward  each  other  and  their  passengers  in  their 
helpless  and  perilous  situation. 

I  do  not  intend  to  say  that  it  is  a  universal  thing  for 
owners  to  pay  no  attention  to  the  moral  qualifications  of  their 
captains,  or  that,  whenever  difficulties  occur  on  ship-board, 
it  is  always  the  fault  of  the  masters  or  officers.  But  I 
do  intend  to  be  distinctly  understood  to  say,  that  owners 
generally,  are  guilty  of  great  neglect  in  the  selection  and 
instruction  of  their  masters,  and  in  their  duty  to  their  sea- 
men ;  and  that  the  masters  or  officers  do,  either  by  improper 
conduct,  language,  or  neglect  of  proper  pacific  means, 
excite  or  permit  the  excitement  of  a  large  proportion  of  the 
difficulties  which  occur  on  shipboard.  Neither  do  I  take 
sides  with  the  sailor  because  he  is  a  sailor,  nor  the  slave 
because  he  is  a  black  man,  but  because  they  are  the  injured 
and  oppressed  party.  For  * '  on  the  side  of  the  oppressor 
there  is  power  ;"  "  the  spoil  of  the  poor  is  in  their  houses." 

Since  writing  the  foregoing,  I  have  run  afoul  of  a  neat 
little  book  entitled,  "  Thirty-two  Years  from  Home,  or  a 
Voice  from  the  Main  Deck,"  which  I  recommend  to  the  care- 
ful perusal  of  all  parents  before  sending  their  children  to 
sea,  and  to  all  persons  that  are  interested  either  in  seafaring 
business,  or  the  welfare  of  seafaring  people,  particularly 
that  of  the  navy. 


